A journalist who worked in the regional press until last year has been named as the Conservative Party’s candidate for a newly-created mayoralty.

The Tories have announced Keane Duncan will fight to become the inaugural Mayor of York and North Yorkshire next year, heading up a new combined authority.

Keane, pictured, worked as a senior content editor at the Hull Daily Mail before moving to its Reach plc sister title the Daily Star, where he is currently deputy news editor, in 2022.

In 2019, while a reporter on the Teesside Gazette, he became the country’s youngest council leader aged just 24 after taking charge of Ryedale District Council.

He led Ryedale until 2021 and is currently North Yorkshire county councillor with responsibility for highways and transport.

The 28-year-old told the Northern Echo: “It’s an honour to win the confidence of party members and be selected to fight for my home area in this critical election.

“Working with Rishi Sunak, our MPs and councillors I will build a York and North Yorkshire open for business, proud of success and tough on crime where everyone can achieve their full potential.

“Our landmark £540m devolution deal heralds a new era for our area. I have the vision and fight to turn this deal into a reality, levelling up every part our diverse county and showing what we can achieve in charge of our own destiny.”