The Northern Line
‘TALK of the north-east becoming an autonomous region of the United Kingdom has been greatly exaggerated.
”Vote yes for fireworks” |
Whether its out of apathy or not, the Guardian reports that the Governments plans to construct a north-east regional assembly are hardly wowing the locals.
After a week of polling in Englands first devolution referendum, a pretty pathetic 17.8% of the electorate have bothered to exercise their right to vote.
How many of these have voted aye, and so supported the Governments campaign, is not even hinted at.
But this may be because many of the areas residents havent got the foggiest idea what theyre being asked to vote on.
Should they ask a Londoner what a regional assembly equates to, the message would be that you get a load of local politicians, an expensive new building to house them in and, if youre lucky, a fireworks display at New Years Eve.
But even though a new assembly will at a stroke increase employment in the crucial local Government sector exponentially, many are still less than enthused.
So the Guardian looked up Newcastle on the map, went north and asked a few locals what they thought of things.
Well, make that one local. Shes called Denise Scott and is this morning perhaps something of a local celebrity among the regions Guardian readers.
I know nothing about this, no-one has told me very much at all, says Denise, who was questioned by the Guardians fearless roving reporter as she stood beside a colourful yes campaign caravan in Newcastle.
But then onto the scene bounced Gateshead East and Washington West MP Joyce Quin, who told Denise about the new building, the jobs for wannabe politicians and those fireworks.
And Denise was impressed.
As was Ken Livingstone, the elected London mayor, who left his new building and firework planning in London to travel up north and tell Denise: Youve got to trust local people to run services better than bureaucrats in London.
Bureaucrats like, er, Ken Livingstone and the other members of the London Assembly ’
Posted: 27th, October 2004 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink