Rishi Sunak was taunted about living under a Labour mayor in his North Yorkshire constituency at Prime Minster’s Questions yesterday.
Harrogate-born David Skaith was elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire on May 2 last week. He took up the role yesterday.
Mr Skaith was photographed with Labour leader Keir Starmer at Northallerton Football Club a couple of hours after he was declared mayor on Friday.
Mr Starmer told the House of Commons that Mr Sunak now had “great Labour councillors” in Downing Street and Southampton, where he grew up, and a Labour mayor in London.
He added:
“At his mansion in Richmond, he can enjoy a brand new Labour mayor of North Yorkshire.”
Mr Sunak was quick to reply:
“I was of course surprised to see the honourable gentleman in North Yorkshire. Although probably not as surprised as he was when he realised he couldn’t take the tube there.
“I can tell him the people of North Yorkshire believe in hard work, secure borders, lower taxes and straight talking common sense.
“They are not going to get any of that from a virtue signalling lawyer from North London.”
Mr Starmer said:
“It was great to be in Northallerton where they had just voted to reject the Prime Minister’s proposition.
“No matter where he calls home, all his neighbours are backing this changed Labour Party.”
Read more:
- How Labour defeated the Tories in North Yorkshire’s first mayor election
- Harrogate Station Gateway: consultants’ fees rise to £2.1 million
- North Yorkshire combined authority advertises for £125,000 chief executive
