Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen greets his new House of Lords seat as 'incredible opportunity' to fight for Hartlepool

He is one of seven people nominated for a peerage in ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s long-awaited resignation honours list.

The 50-strong list was revealed on Friday evening as Mr Johnson announced his immediate resignation as an MP after receiving an advance copy of the impending Partygate report into whether or not he misled Parliament over Covid-19 breaches.

Mr Houchen will combine his place in the House of Lords with his roles as head of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) and the new Hartlepool Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC).

But he does not consider the extra responsibility as a distraction.

Mr Houchen, 36, said: "As a member of the House of Lords, I will be uniquely placed as being an elected Mayor with a seat in Parliament.

"The additional powers I will be given to make and amend laws are something no other Mayor in the country will have.

“I see this role not as a distraction, but as an incredible opportunity to fight and deliver even more for everyone across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool."

The TVCA has secured £12m of government money to upgrade Hartlepool Railway Station.

The MDC also has plans to finally demolish Hartlepool’s former Odeon Cinema and replace it with a community park.

Talking up the Government’s Levelling Up programme across the Tees Valley, Mr Houchen added: “Now I am being given the opportunity to sit amongst our law makers to talk up Teesside and make sure we always get our fair slice of the cake.

"I also want to take this opportunity to reaffirm my commitment to my job as Mayor.

"I have had the honour of representing my home for the past six years and I feel an enormous responsibility to deliver for this area and I will continue to do this for years to come as Tees Valley Mayor.

"Today is recognition of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool and shows that we matter on the national stage."

Another body Mr Houchen leads, the South Tees Development Corporation (STDC), is subject to an independent inquiry into disputed claims over funding at the former Redcar steelworks site.