Campaigners still saying 'No'

Campaigners still saying 'No'
Sunderland Echo
Friday, November 3, 2005
By Paul James
paul.james@northeast-press.co.uk



















CAMPAIGNERS who last year led the fight against the North East Assembly are taking their fight back to the politicians .

Tomorrow will see the first anniversary pass of the region's huge rejection of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's plan for an elected regional government.

The world's media arrived at Crowtree Leisure Centre for the count last year, where 78 per cent of the North East voted no.

Now, 12 months on, with the unelected assembly still in place and sitting at Newcastle's Quayside, campaigners said: "It's time for the white elephant to be extinct".

A delegation from the People's No Campaign, who say they are acting on behalf of the 696,519 "No" voters, are heading to the North East Assembly HQ tomorrow.

Headed by metric martyr Neil Herron, the group will hand an assembly representative with a Notice to Quit from the Guildhall building and from the North East.

Chairman Judith Wallace said: "A year ago 78 per cent of the North East public said No to regional government. This body, the North East Assembly, is still costing each and everyone of us. It's time for them to go."

Strategy director, Colin Moran, said: "Although it is obvious that the internal view of the North East Assembly members is that they do good work for the North East, unfortunately for them, they could not convince the electorate a year ago. "

In recent months the assembly has hit out at underfunding for transport in the North East, lobbied for extra cash for facilities at Teesport, supported a second Tyne Tunnel and backed plans for extra train services to Sunderland.

No campaign director Neil Herron said it was: "An expensive, useless, toothless talking shop whose contempt for people of the North East is an arrogant affront to democracy."

He added: "Assembly chairman Alex Watson and his acolytes should concentrate on what they were elected to do, not espouse and opine on North East matters at our expense."

Seventy eight per cent said No to the white elephant. It's time to make the elephant extinct for good."

On its website, the North East Assembly says: "The North East Assembly has placed itself at the centre of the regional agenda on a whole range of issues affecting the lives of people who live and work in the North East.

"The challenges facing the region cannot be underestimated, but our commitment and actions to address these are at the heart of what we do.

"We are making a tangible contribution in areas of regional development and economic regeneration, health, social, educational and European issues that matter to people."

The assembly declined to comment.