A source close to James Cleverley insists the remark was directed at Alex Cunningham, not his constituents. Photo: Jeremy Selwyn/SelwynPics
Many proud villagers would be stunned to hear their home called an “ass”, but in Stockton locals conceded the Home Secretary may have a point.
James Cleverly was accused of doing this. made the claim on Wednesday in the House of Commons, although he denied it and sources later said he instead called Alex Cunningham, the local Labor MP, a “s—“.
But 59- year-old Marius Dolhan, who has worked as a taxi driver in the County Durham area for almost 15 years, admitted that “obviously this is not paradise and probably never will be.”
Mr Dolhan told The Telegraph: “He's not the only one who said that.
“The language is a little harsh, but honestly, I've heard a lot of customers over the years say, 'Oh, who comes to Stockton?' Nobody comes here because Stockton has nothing to offer.”
Billingham, a town in Stockton North, was once a bustling industrial centre.
For less than a century ago, manufacturing giant Imperial Chemical Industries produced fertilizers, plastics and ammonia used to make explosives during the Second World War at its Billingham plant. .
Today the city center ranks among the country's 20 percent most deprived areas, with shuttered shops and a few abandoned buildings welcoming visitors.
Property advertisements in an estate agent's window showed asking prices were far from healthy: rent for one bedrooms were on sale for just £55,000
Former care worker Christine Barron, home to almost four people. decades, told The Telegraph: “Frankly, I think it would do them some good to try and tidy up the area. I’ve lived here for 38 years – everything has changed a lot.”
The 70-year-old added: “We used to have fruit shops, there are more butcher shops and also clothing and shoe shops. “.
Victoria Bridge is located southeast of Stockton city centre. Photo: BERENICE CARROLL/MOMENT OPEN Skillfully apologizes for “unparliamentary language”
Concerns about the area were raised by Mr Cunningham, MP for Stockton North, at Prime Minister's Questions this week. He asked Rishi Sunak why a third of the county's children lived in poverty.
It was at this point, Mr Cunningham claims, that Mr Cleverley remarked: “Because it's a shithole.” p>
In the ensuing row, Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, demanded an apology from the cabinet minister for “dragging Stockton's name through the mud.”
A source close to Mr Cleverley later told the Home Secretary had in fact called Mr Cunningham a “mean MP” and apologized for using “unparliamentary language”.
The source added that the minister had “never will criticize Stockton” for campaigning in the city, and it was clear that this is a “great place.”
Stockton on Tees Photo: LUCENTIUS/ISTOCK “The Government needs to reinvest in the area”
But local barista Alison Mason said she had seen between 10 and 12 shops close in recent years.
She added: “If that's what he said, then the government needs to reinvest in the area and give people some prospects “
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“I would like to see the money invested in the city center first.”
She added: “Even if they just offered half-price rent for six months , at least it would bring something to the city, whereas at the moment everything is just empty.”
Ms Mason, 49, said her son struggled to find work in his home town as a university student – and applied for about 15 jobs before getting a job at a local supermarket.
< The mother, who works at independent cafe The Coffee Pot, suggested Mr Cleverley may have made the comments because the area is "really run down" but said: "It's not always about material things, even though it may being bad." --hole."
She added: “Most people in Stockton are so friendly it sounds like a cliché, but the people who come here are more like friends. Sometimes we are so busy that we have people who have never met before sharing tables.”
Stockton is 'not paradise'
Mr Dolhan lives south of the constituency and stressed that new buildings in this area have been “cut down”. at the expense of buyers.”
But he said he and other local taxi drivers had noticed that the number of places popular with drug users had increased in recent years.
He added: “Clearly this is not a paradise and probably never will be. will. But you just have to be able to tell the good from the bad.
“I think if you shop around a bit you can find your place in Stockton North because it's a mixed bag.”
< p>At Aldi free copies of the local free newspaper Stockton & Billingham offered a brighter and more prosperous future. One story featured a long-awaited £20 million leveling up grant awarded to Billingham after two unsuccessful bids for the money.
But some local politicians were less willing to forgive and forget.
But some local politicians were less willing to forgive and forget.
p >
Mick Stoker, 70, Labor councilor for Billingham East, said: “[Mr Cleverley] is clearly in cloud cuckoo land. I live here and everyone here has a lot of respect for our city.
“Just tell him to come visit us and we'll give him the welcome he deserves.”
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