Banging the drum for home region

As Minister without Portfolio, the job allows her to work alongside Cabinet colleagues on a range of different issues.

"I can shout about Yorkshire in everyone's brief," she says.

"I think that, whether I like it or not, you cannot be born and raised in Yorkshire and still live there and not have it absolutely running through you. Of course, we're governing for the country but you will always have that special place for the place where you were born and raised because you understand it that little bit better and I think there's probably no doubt about my commitment to Yorkshire.

"The great thing is I can not only shout about Yorkshire in Cabinet but I can also be shouting about it right here at the heart of the party."