The delegation from the North East No Campaign arrived at the Guildhall building yesterday in usual fashion. Herron had held up everyone with last minute telephone calls in the office and the Metro left Sunderland on time with the delegation left on the platform...well in time for the press call in Newcastle but Moran was forced to miss lunch.
Chairman, Judith Wallace was already on the ground when we arrived and there were photographers, radio mikes and a BBC camera crew in attendance.
The Assembly staff had refused to open the doors to Judith, but she was only intending to inform them of our presence.
As we walked up to the building curtains twitched. We met Judith in the entrance and Assembly Assistant Director, Rob Worrall rushed out all flustered.
"Have you got a letter for me?"
"Yes, Mr. Worrall, but can you wait a minute as the BBC want the delegation to walk up to the building again," Herron stated.
Mr. Worrall disappeared back into the building.
The delegation did the TV and radio stuff. Shots were taken of the 'Notice to Quit.'
We rang the bell.
A minute passed.
We rang the bell again. Curtains twitched.
A flustered Mr. Worrall reappeared. Cameras were rolling. Flash guns lit the building and the startled Mr. Worrall.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Worrall," Herron said. "May I introduce my colleagues?"
The intention was to hold the petrified Assistant Director in the spotlight for as long as possible to be captured. He grabbed the 'Notice to Quit' and disappeared back into the building desperately ignoring requests for comment.
The press guys were in fits of laughter.
If the North East Assembly is comfortable with its position then its Assistant Director should not be afraid to meet the people...except they are acutely aware that their days are numbered.
The representatives are desperate not to show any signs of weakness because if the Assembly is wound up they will have a personal liability...as the Assembly, as an unincorporated association, has no legal personality and it is the members who will be 'jointly and severally' responsible for any liabilities.
A cross-party concensus of North East MPs are now also calling for the abolition of the Assembly.
Kevan Jones (Labour) states, "The assembly should be wound up.It replicates a lot of organisations that are already in place and I would sooner work with them."
Alan Beith (Lib Dem) warned "more and more regional powers are being taken out of democratic control. We cannot allow that situation to continue. We either have to have a democratic regional system or those powers have to be given to elected local authorities. There is a complete democratic deficiency and it's not an acceptable situation."
Peter Atkinson (Conservative) says, "The regionalisation agenda is continuing despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of people in the North East said No - not only to an elected regional assembly, but to a regional agenda as well."
The delegation and the 'Notice to Quit' are the lead story on local BBC News and there is coverage in the Northern Echo (including the photograph of a startled Mr. Worrall) and the Sunderland Echo. Sun FM, Metro and Magic and Century Radio are running our story as the lead news story today.
Newcastle Journal no longer provides a link to their site but they quote John Elliott and his white elephant and then state:
"However, the No Campaign was more than just one organisation, one man - or one elephant, come to that. It was about an ex market trader turned metric martyr.
Neil Herron, North-East No campaign director, is renowned for his persistence and unique soundbites. And today is no exception.
He said: "The assembly is unwanted, unelected and unaccountable and this is not acceptable.
"We should say we are not prepared to pay any more money for a body that contributes more to global warming than coal-fired power stations and produces nothing but a lot of hot air."
Attacking the assembly for providing a platform for "regional political peacocks", he said it was time to restore power to local authorities and Westminster and "people who are accountable".
He said: "If we need a regional overview, we have 30 MPs that could form a regional forum in Parliament. It's simple and doesn't cost any money."
As the political implications of
giving such a prestigous building free of charge (and therefore at a great loss to the ratepayers of Newcastle) to such an unwanted body will be come acute for Newcastle City Council's ruling Lib Dems, whose leader, Peter Arnold, has already branded the Assembly 'boring and a waste of money.'Oh Mr. Arnold. There are tempestuous times ahead for you!
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