Former Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne says he is withdrawing his support for a bid for mayoral power led by “King of the North” candidate Ben Houchen. The reports, including coverage by the Daily Mail, state that Bannatyne supported the candidate previously but now says he can no longer do so. The decision is linked to revelations reported by the outlet regarding the candidate’s views on transgender women and the use of women’s toilets. In the account provided, Bannatyne frames the move as a change in his willingness to back the campaign, citing the toilet-related issue. The coverage does not include broader details in the provided excerpts about the candidate’s full position, additional responses from either side, or independent verification beyond what is described in the reporting. Overall, the sources agree that Bannatyne publicly withdraws his support and that the immediate trigger, as reported, is controversy surrounding the candidate’s stance on transgender women using women’s toilet facilities.