Prime Minister Rishi Sunak weathers blown fuse fears in visit to Yorkshire construction training centre

Mr Sunak was visiting the Construction Skills Village (CSV), in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, where he chatted to apprentices over a cup of tea after trying his hand at plastering in one of the workshops and before moving on to the electricians’ section.

After one of the apprentices helped him wire up part of the main fuse box, there was a tense moment as he refitted the front plate of the box and waited for the power to be restored, saying: “This could be embarrassing.”

When the lights came on, the Prime Minister looked relieved and said: “That was a stressful moment, there.”

As he tried his hand at plastering, the instructor told him to imagine he was spreading butter over a massive piece of toast.

The centre, which trains youngsters for various building trades, has benefited from funding linked to Scarborough’s allocation from the Government’s Towns Fund.

He was shown round by CSV managing directors Graham and Fiona Ratcliffe.

Mr Sunak said: “I think often in Westminster there’s a lot of focus on cities but it’s really important to remember that the majority of people live in towns and work in towns.

“And, it’s important that those places get the investment that they need as well. ”

He said: “Scarborough is great example of that. They’ve received £20 million in the Towns Fund a couple of years ago. That’s already making a difference in the community.

“I’ve just been talking to apprentices here who have benefited from that investment, getting the skills and the opportunities they need.”

The Prime Minister said Scarborough is a good example of a town that will benefit from the £20 million going to 55 places which he said has been freed up by his decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2.

He said: “It shows that the plan is working and, if we stick with it, we can ensure that our young people have a brighter future and everyone has a renewed sense of pride in the place that they call home.”

Mr Sunak was also asked on his visit to Scarborough about the issue of seawater quality, which he was told is a big issue for coastal towns.

He said: “It’s absolutely vital that we tackle this issue and some of the things we’ve seen are unacceptable.”

The Prime Minister said a plan was in place which included record investment, strengthening regulation and a focus on enforcement.