Mayoral Candidate and North East LEP Board Member Jeremy Middleton has reacted with disappointment to news that Gateshead Council’s Labour Leadership have rejected the North East Devolution Deal.
Mr Middleton said “The Devolution Deal is the best chance the North East has had for real change in a generation. I am disappointed, but in no way shocked, that the Labour councillors that run Gateshead Council have bowed to pressure from their Parliamentary party and put political self-interest ahead of the needs of the region.
“We could end up in a situation where Gateshead is left behind the rest of the North East, an island surrounded by areas with devolved status, unable to take advantage of new powers over skills, investment and healthcare. The partisan politicians pushing this anti-devolution agenda need to get with the times, this kind of fighting within the North East can only hold us back, we need a strong voice who can stand up for the whole region.”