Time And Time Again, North Eastern Labour MPs Have Failed To Stand Up For Our Region

I have a piece in this morning's Northern Echo, pointing out that, time and time again, North Eastern Labour MPs have failed to stand up for the North East. From high speed rail to the Barnett Formula, the Labour government has consistenly ignored the needs of the North East. Labour MPs seem more interested in toeing the party line and ministerial limousines than they do in standing up for the area they are supposed to be representing.

In North Durham and in the North East as a whole, we are sick of being taken for granted by a complacent Labour elite. We are sick of the Labour Government ignoring our concerns and the needs of our region. That is why such a groundswell for change is building up.

You can read the full text of the piece here: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/letters/4582961.Rail_links/

I have also reproduced it in full below:

A NUMBER of recent correspondents to this page were quite correct to be appalled about the fact that, yet again, the North-East has been overlooked by this Government.

This time, the Government has ignored the compelling case for a high-speed rail-link serving the region.
As has been pointed out, such a link would have been hugely beneficial to the North-East’s economy. It is scandalous that the Government has, yet again, chosen to ignore our area.

Where on earth were the region’s MPs when our area needed them? Why have they, yet again, failed to stand up for our area? The total failure of Labour MPs to make the case for the region is another example of the Labour Party taking us for granted.

I’m standing for election as a proud North-Easterner, independent of the complacent local Labour elite that has governed the area for so long.

I believe that our area now needs people such as myself willing to fight for this region, make a passionate case for the North-East and make clear that our region being ignored by Westminster is no longer acceptable.