This significant moment in the region’s history marks a monumental shift in local governance following promises made last year in the North East Devolution Deal. Under the terms of the deal, the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA) was established, seeking to centralise much of the power currently shared by local councils in the Tyneside area. As a result of this centralisation, local control over Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham will be unified under the sole authority of the soon-to-be elected ‘Mayor of the North East’. Following the precedent set by other mayoral combined authorities such as Manchester and Birmingham, NEMCA will dictate policy regarding housing, education, finance and transport across the region. Due to the amount of power that comes with this position, there has been a lengthy process in determining which candidates will stand for election on May 2, 2024, and as the political stage is set, three prominent figures emerge, each carrying distinct visions for the future of the North East.
Whilst not officially selected by the party, it is all but certain that the Conservative candidate for this coveted position will be Paul Howell. Howell is no stranger to the North East political landscape, having been elected in former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s constituency of Sedgefield in the ‘Red Wall Revolution’ of 2019. A native of County Durham, the Bishop Auckland born MP has spent the majority of his life in the region, primarily maintaining his prodigious property portfolio which spans the length and breadth of the area that he wishes to represent as North East Mayor. In promoting his tentative campaign, Howell has pledged to revive the infamous Leamside Line railway route which, prior to its closure in 1964, connected much of County Durham to Newcastle and beyond. It is this focus on the non-metropolitan areas of the North East which Howell hopes will attract support, he has stated how mayoral focus ‘needs to be more broad than just the cities’ as he characterises the other candidates as being ‘too Newcastle-centric’. Howell’s ‘holistic approach’ envisions a unified regional economy, business landscape and government infrastructure, a vision which he hopes can mobilise support against the popular Labour opposition.
Speaking of Labour opposition, enter Kim McGuinness. The 38-year-old Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria was raised in Newcastle and takes great pride in her ‘Born and Bred North East’ identity. Having earned her stripes at Newcastle University, she carved her path through the charity sector before stepping into politics in 2015. Elected in 2019 and subsequently re-elected in 2021, McGuinness brings a track record of bolstering local police forces and channelling funds towards youth organisations in her role as PCC. As favourite for the mayoral hotseat, McGuinness has made clear her plans to eradicate child poverty and introduce a Mayoral Childcare Grant to break down barriers to employment. Also in her manifesto is the promise to bring local bus services back under public control, a policy which is particularly prescient given the on-going industrial action occurring with the transport services in Newcastle. In any other climate, McGuinness and her Labour support would have a relatively easy contest against the Tory candidate, however, this straight shoot-out narrative is slightly more complicated by the presence of controversial figure, Jamie Driscoll.
Whilst he is the incumbent North of Tyne Mayor, Driscoll’s impact on this election is difficult to predict. Born in Middlesbrough, the Northumbria University graduate’s political journey began when he was elected to Newcastle Council in 2018 after a successful career as company director for a software development firm. Driscoll was then elected as North of Tyne Mayor in 2019 after running a strong left-wing campaign which was even supported by acclaimed American intellectual Noam Chomsky. Whilst his mayoral career has been relatively successful, boasting the creation of 5000 new jobs in the region as well as radical environmental reform, Driscoll is most known for his contentious departure from the Labour Party this year. The incumbent mayor, who tirelessly campaigned for the establishment of NEMCA, was deselected by Labour for the role of North East Mayor without clear reason. Many in the party believe this was done due to Driscoll’s ideological reputation as ‘The Last Corbynista’ as well as his association with left-wing activists who have been expelled from Keir Starmer’s new-look-Labour. Despite the tumult, Driscoll remains steadfast in his goal of becoming North East Mayor, running as an independent and still championing the socialist ideals that have resonated strongly during his time as Mayor.
As the North East braces for this electoral showdown, the unfolding narratives of these candidates promise to shape the region's trajectory for the foreseeable future. The battle lines are drawn, and the North East electorate eagerly awaits election day.
