Full report as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes surprise visit to Hartlepool after town's Levelling Up success

The Conservative PM toured the new Northern Film and TV Studios and the Northern School of Art, in Lynn Street, on Thursday afternoon as part of a whistle-stop trip around the north of England.

Mr Sunak was visiting locations set to benefit from a share of £2.1billion of nationwide Levelling Up funding following an official announcement late on Wednesday.

The £16.5m coming to Hartlepool will help the Hartlepool Borough Council-led regeneration of the Church Street area.

This will include a film production village in the Whitby Street and Lynn Street area as well as an urban park or square.

Additional Tees Valley-wide money will improve the town’s cycle routes and walkways.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said the successful Levelling Up bid complemented the intentions of the proposed Hartlepool Mayoral Development Corporation (HDC).

He added: “It has been great to welcome the Prime Minister to Hartlepool to show him what we’ve been doing.

"We have ambitious plans to make Hartlepool a culture and filmmaking capital through the development of our MDC.

“The £54million Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool has received is another great boost to our wider ambitions.”

The cash was also welcomed by town Conservative MP Jill Mortimer and independent Hartlepool Borough Council leader Shane Moore.

Not everyone, however, was pleased to see Mr Sunak in town on Thursday.

Davy Howe, the Fire Brigades Union secretary for Cleveland, was one of a handful of protesters holding placards demanding better pay ahead of potential strike action by firefighters.

Davy, 54, who works at Grangetown Fire Station, added: "Firefighters have gone 12 years now without an inflation matching pay rise and we have fallen far far behind from what we were 12 years ago.

"Firefighters are now £4,000 worse off than they were 12 years ago. And the same can be said for nurses, teachers, rail workers, post workers.

"We are here just to get that across and make sure the Prime Minister hears us."

Mr Sunak, who met students and attempted screen printing during his Hartlepool visit, also attracted criticism for flying 41 minutes by RAF jet to Blackpool in the morning and then taking a 28-minute flight to Teesside International Airport in the afternoon en route to Hartlepool.

Speaking to the media at an event in Morecambe on Thursday morning, he said: “I travel around so I can do lots of things in one day, I’m not travelling around just for my own enjoyment, although this is very enjoyable, of course.

“I’m travelling around so I can talk to people in Accrington this morning, then I’ve talked to you, then I’m going to get over to Hartlepool because I’m working on all of your behalves.

“Trust me, I’m working as hard as I can to deliver for you and I travel to make myself as effective as possible.”

Mr Sunak also apologised after removing his seatbelt to film a social media video in the back of a moving car.

The Prime Minister made a “brief error of judgment” by removing the safety device as he promoted Levelling Up in the clip filmed for Instagram on Thursday during his Lancashire visit.