MP in call for fresh probe into Teesworks

'PUBLIC MONEY AND ASSETS SHOCKINGLY EXPLOITED'

- By DANIEL HODGSON

A RENEWED call for an investigation into Teesworks has been made by a local MP.

Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Labour MP Andy McDonald has argued for a “full and independent” investigation into Teesworks, following new reports about the development last month.

In response, the Government did not rule out an National Audit Office (NAO) investigation, while Tees Valley Conservative mayor Ben Houchen rubbished the Middlesbrough MP's plea for further scrutiny, accusing him once again of having “talked down Teesside”.

In a long-ruuning saga, the Tees Valley Review was commissioned by the previous Conservative government in 2023 to look at the regeneration process of the Teesworks site near Redcar.

The review followed comments made in the House of Commons where Labour MP Mr McDonald alleged “truly shocking, industrial-scale corruption” related to finances surrounding the regeneration of the site.

Lord Houchen consistently denied any corruption, illegality or wrongdoing, advocating a full investigation by the NAO in May 2023, saying: “I want this nipped in the bud once and for all.”

The Teesworks report was not a NAO investigation, rather an “independent review” that found no corruption or illegality, but said decisions taken by bodies involved had not met expected standards when managing public funds.

The renewed calls for an investigation come following one of last month's editions of Private Eye, a publication that Lord Houchen has previously called a “complete comic”.

Citing the work of Richard Brooks, Mr McDonald described the journalist’s findings as reading “like the screenplay of a dark political drama”.