Red wall Tories warn: honour levelling up pledges or we’ll lose the next election

Senior Conservatives in northern seats warn leadership contenders that they must stand by the government's investment promises

Senior Tories in red wall" seats have warned Conservative leadership candidates that the party will lose the next general election unless they re-commit to level up the country and boost investment in the UK's deprived regions.

The warnings come as economists and business figures who are pushing the levelling up agenda in the north of England say the entire project - which was at the heart of the 2019 Conservative manifesto - risks being downgraded as candidates to succeed Boris Johnson compete to offer more generous tax cuts, and money to ease the cost of living crisis.