Political heavyweights back “Yes” North East campaign
The Prime Minister, the Welsh First Minister, and Liberal Democrat leader have all been in the North East today to urge a “yes” vote in the referendum on a regional assembly.
Visiting the “Yes” campaign’s road show in Sunderland, Mr Morgan sought to highlight the benefits of devolution to Wales, and urge the people of the North East to vote for the new assembly.
Charles Kennedy, speaking after he shared a joint photo opportunity with the Prime Minister at the quayside in Stockton, said: “A regional assembly in the North East will give local people the power to make a real difference to their communities.
“From jobs to housing and transport, it will be the people of the North East making essential decisions for themselves.
“That’s why the Prime Minister and I shared a platform today, and that’s why it’s so important that people here in the North East vote ‘Yes’ for their own assembly.”
Yesterday, the Prime Minister – whose Sedgefield constituency is in the centre of the North East region – told a question and answer session in a local pub that he would be backing the vote, arguing that a regional assembly would allow local people to make decisions, rather than civil servants in London.
“No” campaigners, however, argue that the assembly would be an expensive talking shop with no real power to act on local problems.
1.8 million registered voters in the North East began to receive their postal ballot forms this week, which must be returned by November 4th. Though, in the eight days before the ballot closes, electors will be able to return their ballot papers by hand rather than post.
All-postal ballots for regional assemblies were also due to be held in Yorkshire and Humberside and the North West, but were postponed by the Government after the Electoral Commission expressed concerns about the security of the all-postal system in those areas during the recent European elections.
Cynics though suggest that those areas were the least likely to vote in favour of a regional assembly anyway.
Regional assemblies are the Deputy Prime Minister’s personal project. Speaking in the Commons earlier this week, John Prescott said he was confident of a “yes” vote in the referendum.
He claimed that the “referendum will cost the people of the North East £12 million less than at present, there will be 600 fewer councillors and there will be 10 fewer councils – more efficient, more effective and the people making their own decisions. That is why I am convinced they will vote yes.”
The assembly has no tax raising powers, but it would be responsible for setting the strategic direction of the region and have a £500 million budget, mainly inherited from existing regional development budgets. Opponents claim that local tax payers will ultimately be asked to pay more tax, but the “Yes” campaign argue this would, at the most, amount to five pence on a weekly band D council tax bill.
Also speaking in the House earlier this week, Shadow Secretary for the Regions, Bernard Jenkin, said: “Mr Prescott’s claims today that this regional assembly will save local people money are quite incredible. I will be very surprised if people in the North East vote to fork out for an extra layer of politicians paid for by a regional council tax. People in the North East want cleaner hospitals, more police, school discipline, and lower taxes- not a toothless talking shop stuffed with bureaucrats.
“A ‘no’ vote in the North East will kill off Labour’s fake devolution agenda and open the way for a real debate about real decentralisation in the whole of England.”
