North East Assembly Given Notice to Quit

Press Release:Immediate

The People's No Campaign
(formerly the North East No Campaign)

12 noon 2nd November 2005

"Eviction Notice to be served on the North East Assembly"

This Friday, 4th November, sees the first anniversary of the overwhelming rejection of Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott's plan for elected regional assemblies.
The Government had expected its Labour heartlands in the North East to deliver the first positive referendum outcome (plans for referendums in the North West and Yorkshire had been dropped some months earlier in the face of growing cross-party opposition).
However, the canny North East public did not fall for the concept of regional government, seeing it as an expensive, toothless talking shop and a gravy train for the 'usual suspects,' and delivered the biggest referendum defeat ever for any British government...a massive 78% No vote.

Yet here we are, twelve months on and the North East Assembly still exists in an unelected form. Situated in the Guildhall building on Newcastle's Quayside, this unwanted talking shop is not only a tax burden on Newcastle ratepayers (the Assembly pays no rent for a building which could command a considerable commercial rate) it is also a tax burden on the ratepayers of every one of the North East councils as they all pay a voluntary subscription and pay for their representatives to attend.
Newcastle City Council Leader, Peter Arnold recently condemned the Assembly as being 'boring and a waste of money' yet still endorses free rent at a massive cost to the the ratepayer and still pays Newcastle's voluntary subscription.

The time has now come for the unwanted, rejected and expensive North East Assembly to be given a 'Notice to Quit' not just from the Guildhall building but from the North East as well.

We are not prepared to accept this body dictating to North East councils when it has no mandate whatsoever from the people.

Chairman, Judith Wallace states," A year ago 78% 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 states, " 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. A massive 78% said no we do not wish you to represent us. It's time for them to go."

Campaign Director, Neil Herron states, " An expensive, useless, toothless talking shop whose contempt for people of the North East is an arrogant affront to democracy. 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. 78% said No to the White Elephant. It's time to make the Elephant extinct for good."

A delegation from the No Campaign, on behalf of the 696,519 No Voters will present a North East Assembly representative with a 'Notice to Quit' at 2pm tomorrow at the Guildhall Building on the Newcastle Quayside.

ENDS

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY:
Delegation presents the Assembly with a 'Notice to Quit'
2pm Thursday 3rd November 2005
at the North East Assembly offices
Guildhall
Newcastle Upon Tyne

Contact:

Neil Herron
Office: 0191 565 7143
Mobile: 07776 202045
e-mail here

Notes for Editors:

Archived material can be found here.
The People's No Campaign has being expanded into an organisation that says 'No' to all forms of unaccountable and unacceptable governance.
Our current campaigns include:
No to Regional Assemblies
No to the EU Constitution
No to Compulsory Metrication (Metric Martyrs Campaign)
No to Decriminalised Parking Fines (Being covered on this Friday's 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald at 8pm)