Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North, has demanded an urgent debate in Parliament in response to a BBC report highlighting our region as the area least able to bear the brunt of the government’s proposed cuts. 

The report considered the key themes of business, community, people and place in assessing the ability of different areas of the country to withstand such sudden changes in the economy. ‘In the case of the north east,’ said Ms McKinnell, ‘these ‘sudden changes’ will be the public sector cuts already announced by the coalition government. This confirms what we feared in that taking an axe to such vital jobs will have a disproportionate impact upon the north east.

‘In our region we have many public sector employees and an array of private companies that depend upon public sector contracts for survival. This report provides proof that cuts in spending won’t just cost us short-term but for years to come. It’s important to remember that it wasn’t teachers, nurses or council workers that caused the recent recession and it is totally unacceptable for the government to therefore expect hard-working public servants to foot the bill for deficit reduction.

‘During the last decade the north east has emerged rapidly as a vibrant, dynamic place that has regenerated and developed. I will continue to fight to ensure that this remains the case and will resist any moves by the coalition to impose an unfair price on the people of our region.’

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