It comes as figures from the local elections show the Conservatives on just 26 percent of the vote, a 19-point drop compared with the 2019 general election.
To get a sense for what reporters covering the next PM can expect, we spoke to five local journalists who've interacted with Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
How North East MPs voted in Owen Paterson suspension row thenorthernecho.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thenorthernecho.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.