Kim McGuinness will kick off her bid to become North East mayor today with a promise to eradicate the region’s child poverty crisis.
The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will launch her campaign to become Labour’s candidate for next year’s mayoral election today, pledging to “end the days of the North East being in the shadow of Manchester or Leeds”. It comes after her rival for the nomination, current North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll, made his pitch last Friday with a commitment to deliver full employment if he is elected.
Whoever prevails in the Labour contest this summer, which is viewed as significant for the party nationally given the two candidates come from different factions, will become the clear favourite to win an election scheduled for May 2024 that would make them the first mayor for a vast area covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham. Ms McGuinness has become a favourite among the party leadership in Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, while Mr Driscoll was a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.
Read More: North East mayor race hots up as Labour hopeful launches campaign with pledge to end unemployment
Ahead of her campaign launch in South Tyneside on Monday morning, the PCC said her plans as mayor would include revitalising struggling high streets, expanding and improving safety on the Tyne and Wear Metro, and boosting employment along the North East’s rivers and ports. Ms McGuinness said: “I’m standing because I’m proud of this region and I’m fed up of seeing us stuck behind Manchester or Leeds, let alone London.”
She added: “I’ll make fighting child poverty the thread that runs through my office, and introduce a Mayor’s Child Care grant and subsidised public transport to help families move out of in-work poverty and keep more of their earnings. And even as I work with our councils and business to create thousands of jobs along our rivers and ports, and develop our region’s status as a global centre for offshore engineering and green energy, I’ll also work with our unions to ensure the jobs available in our region are well-paid and secure.
“Our devolution story to date simply has not reached its potential and I want to change that, to ensure all parts of the North East feel the benefits.”
Both Labour candidates have pledged to bring the North East’s bus network under public control and reopen disused railway lines.
In a speech to be delivered at energy firm Equinor’s base in South Shields, Ms McGuinness will promise to boost the region’s reputation in the offshore wind farm and green hydrogen sectors. Further pledges in her 12-point plan include opening careers hubs in towns and villages, backing plans to build a new bypass in Bowburn in Durham and growing tourism.
Mr Driscoll began his campaign on Friday with an event in Sunderland, where he was endorsed by RMT union leader Mick Lynch. As well as his promise of full employment, he has pledged to create a “total transport network” and make public transport free for under-18s.
He said: “It’s tough for people in the North East right now. It’s been tough for decades. But I’m determined to write a positive new story for our beautiful part of the world. As North of Tyne mayor, I have set the scene for what is possible – give me your backing and together we can build a zero carbon, zero poverty North East that we can all be proud of.”
The new mayoral job is part of a £4bn devolution deal for the North East, which will reunite previously warring councils across the region. The result of a public consultation on the plans were published on Friday, showing a majority of people support the idea.
Read Next:
- Tyne and Wear Metro reliability crisis: Services getting better after maintenance firm ordered to improve
- North East's crisis-hit bus network could still face 'significant' cuts, despite Government's £500m pledge
- Grainger Market evening hours still part of 'stunning' upgrade plans, despite flagship event relocating
- Some PCSOs saved from Northumbria Police budget cut axe as bosses scale back job loss plans
- Fears that Newcastle walk-in centre might never reopen as services 'creak' under staff shortage
