No to Politicians...a new dawn?

The Times
November 06, 2004
A ringing vote against politics and politicians
By A Correspondent
RECRIMINATIONS began within the Labour Party and the “Yes” camp yesterday about the scale of the rout.
Most conceded that the No camp had run a very effective campaign based on a simple message: that the assembly would cost more, have few powers, involve more bureaucrats and more politicians.

John Tomaney, chairman of the Yes camp and a professor at Newcastle University, admitted that it was hard to counter this negative campaign with a “visionary” message about how regional government could transform the North East.

In the event the assembly proposed in Thursday’s referendum only had powers over economic development and planning and a paltry budget of £500 million. Although it had some influence over housing, skills and tourism, this was not enough to persuade voters that the assembly was anything more than a talking shop.

However the Yes camp also believed that the scale of the defeat showed something more fundamental; a wholescale rejection of politics and politicians, both at Westminster and at a regional level. “This was a huge vote against politicians,” Professor Tomaney said.
Others believe the vote was also a dire warning to the Government that the Labour heartlands had turned away from Tony Blair. and his New labour policies.

Fierce local loyalties across the North East also played a major role in the decisive vote. London-based politicians may have imagined that people would leap at the chance of greater self-determination for a region which was perceived to have a strong and cohesive sense of identity. In reality, many voters seem to have decided that the only thing worse than being governed from Westminster was the prospect of being ruled by Newcastle.

The 78 per cent “No” vote reflected a broad unanimity against the assembly proposal.