An outgoing Westminster correspondent has highlighted the importance of regional lobby journalists as she prepares to leave a daily title.

Geri Scott has revealed she is leaving the Yorkshire Post after 18 months to join the lobby team at PA.

Geri, pictured, has served the Leeds-based Post as its Westminster correspondent since September 2019, having previously worked as health and political correspondent at the Eastern Daily Press.

She will take up her new role next month and the YP is now seeking a replacement for her.

Speaking to HTFP about her time with the Post, Geri said: “I’d like to say how important the YP has proved it is to have regional correspondents in Westminster.

“There are only a handful of us now but you’ll notice the difference it makes in those areas getting government attention and campaigning for their regions.”

Posting on Twitter, Geri added she was “very excited but also sad to leave brilliant YP friends”.

She wrote: “Special shout out to [political editor] Rob Parsons, who was sold to me by [previous Westminster correspondent] Liz Bates as ‘dream’ of a boss when I started and has lived up to every bit of it, including tolerating my ever more frantic Whatsapps.”

Paying tribute to Geri on the social media site, Post editor James Mitchinson described her as “one of the brightest talents I’ve ever hired and had the privilege of working with”.