´óÏó´«Ã½

%3Ca%20href="https://www.labourmatters.com/the-labour-party/tony-blairs-speech-to-trimdon-labour-club-full-text-and-video/">So was today's speech by the former PM (and Sedgefield MP) the touch of the old Blair magic that Labour needs?

He was certainly more tanned than he used to be when he was spending more of his time in County Durham.

In fact if it wasn't for that, and some other signs of age, you could have been forgiven for thinking we'd slipped back in time.

Tony Blair, Trimdon Labour Club, John Burton, all very 2001 and 2005.

Of course his party won both those elections and %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8593193.stm">it's that magic touch which Labour hopes to tap into in 2010.

They hope the ex-PM can win back some of the New Labour supporters who may be tempted to vote Tory, and banish any thoughts that David Cameron is the "Heir to Blair".

But of course Tony Blair's past may also be his weakness as a campaigner.

Labour needs to show it has a future and not just a history - new fresh ideas, and not just a record from the past.

And of course Tony Blair's involvement in the Iraq war is divisive.

Supposedly, this won't be the last we see of the former PM as rumour %3Ca%20href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7534318/General-Election-2010-Tony-Blair-to-campaign-for-Labour.html">has it he'll be unleashed again during the campaign.

History would say he's a winner, and in a tight election, that's why Labour may calculate he could make a difference.

Don't expect a poll surge just yet though.

-----

During my day off yesterday I was astonished to login %3Ca%20href="https://www.twitter.com/richardpolshow">to my Twitter account to find the Durham North MP Kevan Jones as one of the trending topics.

Those usually revolve around some celebrity scandal, not County Durham's MPs, and actually in this case that wasn't wide of the mark.

Because big as Mr Jones is in Stanley and Chester-le-Street, it was %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8590406.stm">his brush with Joanna Lumley that set people a-tweeting.

I know from personal experience that the Durham North MP is a pretty robust character.

I've had a few on-screen clashes with him over the years, and on one occasion he even told me to shut up (many have thought it, he had the courage to say it).

He has a reputation in his own party and beyond as a bit of a bruiser. But on this occasion he seems to have met his match.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/27/joanna-lumley-gurkha-statement-jones">His rather disparaging comments about Ms Lumley took place in a Home Affairs Select Committee a few weeks ago (though strangely they seem to have taken a while to hit the headlines).

You've probably seen the coverage but just in case you haven't, he accused her of a "deathly silence" on the resettlement of Gurkhas despite her high profile support for the former soldiers last year.

Ms Lumley chose yesterday to fight back, calling Mr Jones' comments a "smear" and Twitter duly went mad in her support.

Hundreds and hundreds of tweets were generated about him - none I saw were complimentary, and many used some pretty unparliamentary language.

So rather wisely, he chose to beat a hasty retreat and %3Ca%20href="https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/5415727.print/">make an unreserved apology.%3Ca%20href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1262046/Gordon-Brown-apologises-Joanna-Lumley-Gurkhas-smear-row.html">The PM also felt compelled to say sorry.

Clearly there's some people who you can afford to take on, but Ms Lumley isn't one of them!

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Just finished what is likely to be our last %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/default.stm">Politics Show before the election is called, but it's over to you now Prime Minister to fire the starting gun.

That could happen as early as this week, though he may wait till after the Easter weekend.

Of course, the main focus in the campaign in our part of the world will be on the three parties with MPs here - Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative.

But the smaller parties are likely to feature more prominently in 2010 than they did in the past.

They have picked up support over the years, and the expenses scandal may lead more people to consider voting for the Greens, UKIP or the BNP.

That's why we'll be looking closely at them during the campaign, but why we've also conducted interviews with their representatives over the last few programmes.

Those interviews have been quite tough, but I make no apology for that.

If the smaller parties are going to offer themselves as an alternative, then they should be expected to be held to account in the same way as we do with Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative politicians.

Even if logic suggests they won't be forming a government, their policies need to be scrutinised if they're going to ask people to vote for them.

And of course their record of serving where there is one to study (We do now have BNP and UKIP MEPs in the region to scrutinise as well as UKIP and Green councillors).

We will continue to do that throughout the campaign so people can hear what these parties have to say, and make a judgement.

Occasionally these interviews do turn up things I didn't know.

%3Ca%20href="/iplayer/the_politics_show_north_east_and_cumbria">Today was the turn of BNP Deputy Leader Simon Darby.

He revealed that Nick Griffin will be standing down as an MEP for the North West (which includes Cumbria) if he wins a Westminster seat in Barking and Dagenham.

And he'll be automatically replaced by the number two on the BNP Euro-election list from last year - Martin Wingfield (though he is also standing as a parliamentary candidate in Workington).

As he rightly pointed out to me, under European election rules there will be no need for a further poll.

The Moss Week:

Watching: %3Ca%20href="/programmes/b00n93c4">Synth Britannia. ´óÏó´«Ã½4 programme about the emergence of the likes of electronic acts like the Human League and Gary Numan in the late '70s and early '80s. Took me back!

Listening to: Felt inspired to put on a bit of %3Ca%20href="/music/artists/8538e728-ca0b-4321-b7e5-cff6565dd4c0">Depeche Mode. Their greatest hits from the early 80s. Everything Counts in large amounts!

In awe of: The video journalists fm the %3Ca%20href="https://www.dvb.no/">Democratic Voice of Burma prepared to risk their lives to bring footage out of the country. Their bravery and commitment to the truth can be seen in %3Ca%20href="https://burmavjmovie.com/">the film Burma VJ. Puts the job in perspective!

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Do you remember the time when we were going to become a post-industrial society?

The theory was that manufacturing was in inevitable decline in the UK.

Traditional industries like coal and shipbuilding had already contracted, but many thought we were unlikely to make things for much longer.

British firms couldn't compete with the lower labour costs in emerging economies, so instead it would become a service economy.

And indeed the number of jobs in manufacturing has declined markedly and not just since the '80s but also throughout New Labour's three terms.

Nice theory, but the Credit Crunch seems to have torpedoed it.

The crisis in financial services exposed how vulnerable we would be if we relied on that as the bedrock of our economy.

And so it seems making things is fashionable again. There's an %3Ca%20href="https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/24/budget-2010-birmingham-manufacturing-forgotten">interesting article in The Guardian showing how government priorities have now shifted.

%3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/can_darlings_budget_put_some_w.html">This week's Budget is a case in point.

A lot of the measures in it are aimed at encouraging industry.

The new %3Ca%20href="https://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/03/25/chancellor-goes-green-in-budget-2010-51140-26108265/">Green Infrastructure Bank is aimed at creating a new manufacturing base which can use the drive to tackle climate change to create jobs.

A %3Ca%20href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/budget/7511056/Budget-2010-small-business-growth-fund-to-launch.html">Capital Growth Fund has been set up to help businesses invest in future expansion.

And of course in recent times Labour have been keen to trumpet their investment in manufacturing in the region - %3Ca%20href="https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2010/02/18/tyne-turbine-plan-brings-work-for-thousands-72703-25863133/">in the plans to build wind turbines on the Tyne, and in the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8573737.stm">development of electric cars at Nissan.

But could this be all too little, too late?

Even though the recession started in the financial sector, industry has taken a lot of the hits.

%3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/02/labour_mp_accuses_ministers_of.html">Corus has been the most obvious casualty in our patch but other manufacturers have found it tough.

So can we now see a new industrial age, or have we let things slide too far?

We'll be picking over what the Budget did or did not do for manufacturing in the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/default.stm">Politics Show this Sunday.

We'll also be in North Tyneside talking to Stephen Byers' would-be successor as the area's MP - Labour candidate Mary Glindon.

It's her first interview since %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/stephen_byers_pays_price_for_b.html">Mr Byers' appearance on Dispatches as a "cab for hire".

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8588529.stm">Interesting to hear Geoff Hoon apologising on Radio 4's Today programme this morning.

We've approached Mr Byers for an interview, a chance perhaps for him to talk to his constituents, but so far he hasn't agreed.

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%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2010/budget_2010/default.stm">The last Budget before the election was full of political pointscoring but short of giveaways.

Alistair Darling was determined to draw the battle-lines ahead of the General Election - how many other Budget speeches have mentioned Belize! (A pointed reference to Lord Ashcroft of course)

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8584608.stm">Overall, it was certainly bad news for cider drinkers, and good news for first-time buyers, but there were also some interesting regional snippets.

Plans to build offshore wind turbines at our former shipyards were given a boost. The Chancellor announced a funding package of £60m for interested ports.

Of course work is already underway to develop the Tyne as a centre for wind turbine production but the Tees may also look to benefit from the investment.

The Liberal Democrats will no doubt point out that %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/02/windrush_of_politicians_pay_tr.html">Nick Clegg had already announced plans to invest £400m in coverting shipyards into turbine factories during a visit to Newcastle.

Alistair Darling also announced plans for a Green Investment Bank which could presumably also help develop renewable energy, as well as helping other green industries in the region.

It'll have a pot of £2bn - half coming from the sale of government assets like the Channel Tunnel, and half from the private sector.

But a lot of the Budget was about emphasising some of the decisions Labour have made. Decisions which Alistair Darling believes they got right.

Early in the speech, the Chancellor talked about how the Government's decision to nationalise Northern Rock had shown its ability to handle the banking crisis.

%3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/its_not_often_that_you.html">And he talked about the progress the bank was now making in terms of paying back the taxpayer.

And then later he talked about government support for Nissan, %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8573724.stm">saying it had played a crucial role in ensuring the firm's electric cars would be produced in Sunderland.

The big announcement on stamp duty will cheer local Labour MPs too.

Many of the first time buyers who'll now avoid stamp duty on house sales worth less than £250,000 are in the North East and Cumbria.

And equally many of the housebuyers who'll now pay 5% in stamp duty on homes worth more than £1m are in the south of England.

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8585385.stm">But the Conservatives will still point to the debt that will be piling up over the next few years, and the lack of detail about how the budget deficit will be cut.

And of course some of the most crucial changes affecting people's pay packets in years to come had already been announced - the 50% tax rate, the rise in National Insurance and the freezing of tax allowances.

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I'm guessing this is not the end to his parliamentary career that Stephen Byers would have wanted or had envisaged.

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8582093.stm">Suspended from his party, vilified by some of his colleagues, and %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8579348.stm">referred by himself to the Commons Standards Committee.

And there is %3Ca%20href="/blogs/nickrobinson/2010/03/pure_revenge_pl.html">a sense of payback amongst his many enemies within the Labour party.

The North Tyneside MP was always an arch-Blairite, but he's also been seen as one of the leading plotters against the Prime Minister.

But this does go beyond revenge. The sense of anger in Labour circles in the region and beyond is palpable, and not just amongst Mr Byers' detractors.

Lord Mandelson has described his behaviour as "grubby" and %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8578597.stm">David Miliband was keen to get an early condemnation in too.

So close to an election, more sleaze allegations are the last thing politicians need.

All are damaged by it - today's %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8580183.stm">revelations about MPs not registering foreign trips haven't helped either.

But Labour can sometimes be more vulnerable if the scandals add to any demands for a change at the top.

It is though worth pointing out as balance that there will be many politicians who resolutely rejected the approach by the fictitious Sunday Times/Channel 4 lobbyists.

I'm not sure how many were targeted by the team, but I have spoken to one politician who did reject what looks like part of the sting.

North East Conservative MEP Martin Callanan has told me that his office was contacted by a lobbying company two weeks ago.

They subsequently e-mailed to ask if he'd be interested in paid work influencing decisions for their clients.

Mr Callanan turned down the approach flat, telling the "company" it was completely improper.

But smelling a rat, he also went on to check them out.

Despite describing itself as one of the UK's leading public affairs companies, there was no mention of it in web search engines, and its website had very little in the way of detail.

It's address was also registered to a cleaning firm in London.

And the woman who approached the MEP's office also had the same surname as one of the Sunday Times reporters who was in touch with Mr Byers.

It didn't have the same name as the "firm" that approached Stephen Byers, but the tactics look strikingly similar.

Mr Callanan says he's aware of three or four other MEPs who had similar approaches but turned them down.

Sadly for Mr Byers, he doesn't seem to have dug as deeply or exercised the same level of restraint.

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One interesting footnote to %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/no_vera_but_miliband_bingo_sho.html">my day with David Miliband on Friday was the appearance of %3Ca%20href="https://www.davidmartinabrahams.co.uk/">David Abrahams at the South Shields Labour Party annual dinner.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2954195.ece">Mr Abrahams caused Labour some tricky times by donating money to the party via friends and employees rather than directly.

He was eventually cleared of any wrong-doing and the whole affair did not lead to any prosecutions.

You'll remember %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/8123125.stm">I interviewed Mr Abrahams after he was exonerated, in which he spoke about his anger at being depicted as an "oddball" with an agenda, when in fact this was all about his desire for privacy and his commitment to the Labour cause.

Certainly the Newcastle businessman gained nothing personally from his donations.

And clearly Labour bears no grudges, as on Friday night David Abrahams was sat on the Foreign Secretary's table next to Mr Miliband.
-------------
The Moss Week:
Reading: %3Ca%20href="https://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/feb/28/abraham-lincoln-review">Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin - %3Ca%20href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obama-starts-to-build-a-team-of-rivals-1020503.html?cmp=ilc-n">Barack Obama was extremely influenced by this book which shows how Lincoln unexpectedly won the Presidency and then persuaded his rivals to serve in his administration. Echoes of him bringing Hilary Clinton on side.

Listening to: %3Ca%20href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gaslight_Anthem">The '59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem. Springsteen-influenced rock band from New Jersey. Blue collar tales of the States with plenty of guitars turned up to 11.

Will be watching: Dispatches on Channel 4 tomorrow to see %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8578597.stm">secret filming of North Tyneside MP Stephen Byers apparently offering to influence government policy for a payment. He denies any wrongdoing.

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The tributes paid to Ashok Kumar this week suggest that respect for politicians hasn't entirely disappeared.

Of course, people always say nice things about you after you've died, but in the case of the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP, the tributes have the ring of authenticity.

His colleagues clearly held him in high regard. The appearance of Harriet Harman and Hilary Benn at %3Ca%20href="https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/5073790.Region_turns_out_to_mourn_Ashok_Kumar/">Friday's memorial service in Guisborough was a demonstration of that.

His political rivals have also been fulsome in praise. The Conservative MEP Martin Callanan, who was our guest on the Politics Show today, talked before the programme about what a genuine and nice man he was.

But the most telling tributes have come from his constituents.

People often deride politicians - occasionally with good cause - but Ashok Kumar's death has led people to reveal publicly what often goes unsaid - namely the help an MP can give to their constituents.

Often people will condemn politicians in general, but actually make an exception for their local MP as they can see what they are doing.

If you want evidence of that you only have to look at some of %3Ca%20href="https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2010/03/16/your-messages-of-condolence-for-ashok-kumar-84229-26043501/">the tributes to Ashok Kumar that came into the Teesside Gazette this week.

I was particularly struck by one from Barbara Dunne, %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/4734189.stm">a Middlesbrough mum whose son Robert was stabbed and murdered.

She's been campaigning as part of a group called Mothers Against Knives.

In her tribute she says: "He gave me huge support knowing I was dealing with a sensitive life event I will never forget him as long as I live for the support he gave to me."

I'm sure that's the kind of obituary Ashok Kumar would have valued the most.

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I'm just writing this in a gap in our filming schedule with David Miliband in South Shields.

It's the %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/the_day_david_miliband_and_i_b.html">second part of the film we started shooting at the Foreign Office a couple of weeks ago.

We're looking at the challenges of combining the role of Foreign Secretary with being a constituency MP.

And you couldn't have got a starker contrast in the two days of filming.

A fortnight ago David Miliband was meeting the South African foreign minister, answering Foreign Office questions in the Commons and getting briefed on Iraq ahead of an appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry.

Today he's been opening a pub, calling bingo numbers at a day care centre and leading a group of five-year-olds through a maze!

And on top of that he had to cope with a tinge of disappointment at some of the venues.

He was originally supposed to complete some of his engagements with %3Ca%20href="https://www.corrie.net/profiles/characters/duckworth_vera.html">Vera Duckworth - or to be more precise %3Ca%20href="https://www.corrie.net/profiles/actors/dawn_liz.html">Liz Dawn, the actress who played the Coronation Street character.

She's a keen Labour supporter, %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8506300.stm">although the party recently got in hot water for using a recorded message from her to target voters.

She would have been the one calling the bingo numbers had she not been ill and advised not to travel.

But actually most people took the news of her absence well. The Foreign Secretary even had a few autograph requests at the day care centre.

His bingo calling generally went well too although curiously when the number ten came, Mr Miliband mentioned Downing Street but didn't call it Gordon's Den - but then he did confess to being an inexpert caller.

We did though encounter two disgruntled women who'd turned up at the pub opening hoping to see Vera.

When we broke it to them that it would just be Mr Miliband, they sloped off before he arrived.

But he did manage to duck one dodgy moment.

A photographer at the pub wanted him to appear in a "fashion shoot" for a regional magazine appearing in his words "arm in arm with two women".

Now it has to be said both women were very respectable and tastefully dressed, but it probably wasn't the lasting image a Foreign Secretary would have craved, and after some discussion the photo op was turned down.

So he went on to the next engagement - a little weary perhaps, %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8567455.stm">as he only got back from China on Wednesday - but then that is the nature of the dual role of MP and minister.

We're catching up with him again at the local South Shields' party dinner. You'll see the results on the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/default.stm">Politics Show on Sunday as well as hearing from his rivals in the forthcoming election.

Conservative Karen Allen and Lib Dem Stephen Psallidas are his two principal opponents in the South Shields seat.

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I went to what amounted to my first election hustings last night at %3Ca%20href="https://www.stockton.ac.uk/BEDE/index.asp">Bede Sixth Form College in Billingham.

I was there to judge the College's entry for the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/schools_question_time/default.stm">´óÏó´«Ã½'s Schools Question Time competition.

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/8435129.stm">They're the North East regional winners and last night was about seeing whether they could be one of four schools across the country who'll get to be the production team for the Special Schools Edition of Question Time later this year.

Their panel of five included the candidates from the three larger parties in the local constituency of Stockton North.

So that was %3Ca%20href="https://www.stockton-north.com/">Alex Cunningham for Labour, %3Ca%20href="https://www.stocktonlibdems.org.uk/">Philip Latham for the Lib Dems, and %3Ca%20href="https://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/Galletley_Ian.aspx">Ian Galletley for the Conservatives.

The panel also included a TUC representative and one of the college students.

But it was interesting to see a proper constituency debate.

The students told me they were keen for people to get a chance to see all three main party candidates who are competing to %3Ca%20href="https://www.frankcookmp.com/">replace sitting MP Frank Cook.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1962733.no_surprise_at_party_deselection/">Mr Cook was deselected by Labour of course, and it should be said he hasn't as yet ruled out standing as an Independent - but the chances are one of the three candidates on show will be Stockton North's next MP.

The questions that came from the audience included Corus, Labour's connections with Unite, the state of the social care system, student tuition fees and immigration.

It was great to be an observer for once rather than the debate referee. That role went to %3Ca%20href="https://www.patrickmonahan.co.uk/about.html">comedian Patrick Monahan - half Irish, half Iranian and raised in Teesside!

There was some political knockabout, but generally a good standard of debate.

Of course I can't tell you what I made of it in too much detail, as my judge's verdict has to be confidential, and there are 14 other schools in the running who I won't see.

But I was impressed by the intelligence, commitment and organisation of the students who performed every task from serving refreshments to selecting the questions.

Many will be first-time voters at the coming election, and all the research involved in the exercise does mean they're probably now amongst the most politically-informed 18-year-olds in the country.

They should find out how they around Easter time.

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A lot of discussion is taking place this week on the shape of our election coverage.

And I'm definitely starting to get that election buzz of excitement now (yes, I know I need to get out more).

It's hard to say how big a role local factors play in the way people vote, but when you start to look at constituencies and research the contests there, you do begin to see this as more than just a battle between the national parties and their leaders.

Over the last two weeks on the Politics Show, we've looked at the Corus factor in Redcar and the influence of rural issues in Berwick.

This week, my colleague Fergus Hewison is off to Penrith and the Border to see what factors may be playing locally there, and to assess what the local voters make of Conservative candidate Rory Stewart.

He's a man with a big profile and a colourful background but of course that can play both ways. Look out for that on the programme this Sunday.

I'm looking forward to getting out to more constituencies in the run-in to polling day too. Out on the stump is where you'll always get the best insight into what's happening.

The Politics Show will be going out on tour as well in the last few weeks of the campaign as we bring voters face-to-face with the politicians.

Of course, I may slip the odd question in but it's usually unpredictably exciting when the voters get a chance to put their questions directly to candidates.

I will also be chairing a Look North debate featuring politicians and an audience - a first for this campaign.

But there'll also be the cut and thrust of the daily political visits and the unexpected in what looks like an unpredictable and tightly-contested election.

Of course, though all of this gets put into perspective by the kind of news that broke yesterday.

The death of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar at the age of just 53 has been greeted with shock and grief amongst all that encountered him.

It's easy to forget that his was a remarkable story. Born in India, after moving to this country, he left school with just two O levels from his local secondary modern.

A remarkable journey then saw him carve out a successful career in industry and politics, to become one of the country's first Asian MPs.

He had a reputation as an incredibly dedicated constituency MP, who turned a fragile majority into a decent one, and I'm sure he will be missed by his colleagues and constituents as well as his family.

A ceremony to commemorate his life is being held in Guisborough this Friday.

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Crime is always one of the toughest topics to cover politically as there are so many different statistics that can prove so many different points.

And then there is the fear of crime, and whether it bears any relation to the actual figures.

So is it real crime or just the fear of it that's %3Ca%20href="https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/4721413.Ex_boxer_launches____private_police___/">driving people in Darlington to pay a private security firm £3.50 a week to protect their homes?

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8359948.stm">Sparta Security say they are providing something the police are failing to give people at the moment - peace of mind.

For the money, they'll provide an instant call-out service to homes and businesses and patrol areas to keep them safe.

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/8564724.stm">Durham Police take a dim view of that though.

They say the company is playing on people's unfounded fears, when in reality crime is falling in Darlington.

And local Labour councillors are concerned that a kind of two tier policing might emerge from this - the standard police service for those who can't afford to pay, and the top up from the security firm from those who can.

%3Ca%20href="/iplayer/the_politics_show_north_east_and_cumbria">There were plenty of lively opinions from our politicians on the Politics Show today as they fought over some of the law and order ground that may well influence the results of the election.

And Labour is sensitive on the issue. It's been keen to take a hard line ever since Tony Blair talked about being tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.

It's been part of their strategy for outflanking the Conservatives, and in by-elections they're often keen to paint the Lib Dems as being soft on the issue.

So the publicity surrounding Sparta Security is dangerous, as is %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8560720.stm">this week's criticism of police forces by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Denis O'Connor.

He said some forces' failure to tackle low level anti-social behaviour was damaging public confidence in the police.

In response, %3Ca%20href="https://www.polfed.org/mediacenter/1593BE7B71624618891A8D4B630B5980.asp">the Police Federation also talked about the need for the courts to get tougher to ensure the miscreants they're arresting aren't just set free to offend again.

But %3Ca%20href="https://www.hmic.gov.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/PRC/PRC_GOV_20100311.pdf">at least the Chief Inspector was relatively complimentary about our forces in his assessments this week.

He rated confidence in the police as good in Durham, Cleveland, Northumbria and Cumbria. In North Yorkshire it was fair.

Cleveland, Cumbria and Northumbria also scored good marks for local policing, Durham and North Yorkshire fair.

But of course all sorts of statistics will be bandied about by all the parties in the next few weeks as they compete to show who can make us feel safe.

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Don't hold your breath if you're waiting for a high speed rail link to the North East and Cumbria, appears to be %3Ca%20href="https://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/">the conclusion of the Government's announcements today.

There's only one concrete plan for a new high speed route.

That's from London Euston to Birmingham, with work starting in 2017, and completion due in 2026.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/hs2ltd/hs2report/pdf/chapter6.pdf">There is discussion about extending that network in the papers released today - including a link to Newcastle and Teesside.

But no date is set, and the only real extensions talked about are to Manchester and Leeds.

The news is bound to cause consternation in the North East.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.northeastcouncils.gov.uk/global/assets/documents/asset20100217043054.pdf">The Association of North East Councils and the regional %3Ca%20href="https://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/03/01/north-east-may-miss-out-on-high-speed-trains-61634-25933388/">chamber of commerce have both talked about the economic case for bringing high speed rail to the area.

They tworry he North East will lose out on investment and jobs if it's not connected to the network.

Mind you, the news doesn't mean the region wouldn't benefit from high speed rail at all.

That's because connections would be built between the existing East Coast Line and then high speed link.

That would allow you ge on the high speed train in Newcastle, even if it could only begin travelling at the high speeds of 250mph south of Leeds.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1257042/30billion-high-speed-rail-plans-unveiled-Lord-Adonis.html">Under that plan journey times from Newcastle to London would come down from an average of 189 minutes to 157 - not a quantum leap but of some benefit, even if that could be 20 to 30 years into the future.

It doesn't though match a full high speed link to the North East. That would cut journey times to London to two hours from Newcastle, and 100 minutes from Teesside.

Cumbria though may miss out in every way, as the even if a line is built through the county, it seems unlikely to stop there.

But the other danger is the amount of infrastructure money that could be sucked up by high speed rail plans.

The initial line to Birmingham could cost between £15bn and £17bn.

That's money that couldn't then be spent on improving existing rail services.

So although there are plans to improve the East Coast Main Line, will any government be able to afford to make significant improvements to regional rail services if so much money is being ploughed into high speed?

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats also have plans for high speed rail, but again with no cast iron commitment or confirmed timetable to bring it to our region, so this may not become an election issue.

Of course though the one route that is definitely being proposed does pass through a lot of key marginals in the South and Midlands.

We're talking to North East Minister Nick Brown about this on the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/default.stm">Politics Show this Sunday.

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It's not often that you can call a £250m loss progress, but that was the general view of %3Ca%20href="https://companyinfo.northernrockassetmanagement.co.uk/downloads/Annual_Results_2009.pdf">Northern Rock's results today.

To understand why, you've got to look where the bank's come from.

%3Ca%20href="https://companyinfo.northernrockassetmanagement.com/downloads/2008_annual_report.pdf">In 2008, it lost almost £1.4 billion, and it had set a target of halving that, so £250m does appear to be a real stride forward.

So much so the bank has paid out £14.9m in bonuses.

That's led to some predictable outrage, even though its Chief Executive Gary Hoffman has waived his package.

The bank also points out that the majority of the money has gone to staff in Sunderland and Newcastle who are paid less than £25,000 a year.

So do those staff deserve a bonus? The %3Ca%20href="https://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/press-releases/business-and-industry/unite-statement-on-bonus-payments-for-staff-at-northern-rock-$1364628$364486.htm">union Unite certainly believes the progress made is entirely due to their hard work.

And again I suppose you've got to remember just where Northern Rock has come from.

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6996136.stm">At the time of its collapse, it seemed like the North East was at the centre of irresponsible banking. It seemed Northern Rock's brand would be permanently sullied.

Of course, since then we've seen more banks nationalised, and more banks exposed as having taken similar unwise risks.

Now there are even suggestions that the progress made in the last year could see the brand revitalised and rescued from ignominy.

The Newcastle Central MP, Jim Cousins, has long championed the Northern Rock cause.

He believes the bank could even be in a position to take over other financial institutions, rather than be taken over, and could certainly continue to be called Northern Rock.

He also points to the loyalty of local depositors as a sign that the bank is still trusted.

I say bank, when actually mean what's being known as the "good bank", %3Ca%20href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/plans-for-northern-rock-to-split-into-a-good-and-a-bad-bank-1802781.html">as at the start of the year Northern Rock was split in two.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.northernrockassetmanagement.co.uk/building_a_stronger_future/">The "good bank" (Northern Rock plc) is still in the market for new business and holds all the savings accounts and around £10bn of mortgages.

The "bad bank" (Northern Rock Asset Management plc) holds £50bn of mortgages, all taken out before the credit crunch, and unsecured loans of £3.9bn.

That's the dodgier stuff I suppose, though it includes a lot of what were seen as good customers in the past.

That "bad bank" will stay in state ownership, but the "good bank" could be sold off to recoup some of the billions owed to the taxpayer.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8982428">Today's results make that sell-off more imminent. It could even happen this year.

And so the irony is that the progress made by staff has added to the uncertainty over their future.

The banks still employs 4,500 people in the region, but would any new owner have the same commitment to the North East?

And as many of them work for the "bad bank" which isn't in the market for new business, what will happen to them as the mortgage book is gradually run down?

So progress today, but yet more uncertainty lies ahead.

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I've just been catching up with the %3Ca%20href="https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmneast/279/27902.htm">North East Regional Committee's report into the mothballing of the Corus steelworks in Redcar.

Before you accuse me of laxness, I should say I had a day off yesterday. Shocking I know, but if it's any compensation to you it was dominated by my cat having eight teeth extracted. (I told her to brush her teeth, but would she listen?)

It's very critical of Corus. Its focus is very much on pressuring the company to prove its serious about this being a mothballing of the blast furnace rather than a closure (or a prelude to closure).

%3Ca%20href="https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmneast/279/27904.htm">The report says there must be adequate staff left on site to make sure the furnace can be fired up again by anyone who may buy the plant.

It also says everything should be done to make sure the highly-skilled steelworkers can return to their jobs should it start working again, though obviously the longer the mothballing the less likely that is.

Criticism of the Government is more muted though. And in the interests of transparency I should point out that this is a committee %3Ca%20href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_East_Regional_Select_Committee">made up entirely of Labour MPs as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are boycotting regional committees.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmneast/279/27904.htm">It praises the Government for responding quickly to the mothballing announcement. But the committee does take issue with Lord Mandelson's decision to rule out a wage subsidy.

According to the report, ministers believe that any subsidy would not achieve its objective as they do "not believe it would be money well spent or that there would be a net benefit to the Exchequer."

%3Ca%20href="%3Ca%20href="https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmneast/279/27904.htm#a10">"That's rejected by the Committee, who say the Government should consider subsidy as an option to help any new buyer that comes along.

But despite the committee chair %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/02/labour_mp_accuses_ministers_of.html">Dari Taylor's recent criticism of the Government for not stepping in and nationalising the steelworks, there's no mention of the n-word.

And although the Committee are keen to say they think there is a future for the steelworks, they also %3Ca%20href="https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmneast/279/27904.htm">call for the Government to make Teesside one of the pilot areas for carbon capture and storage to offer the hope of new jobs.

The most worrying reading for Corus workers though %3Ca%20href="https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmneast/279/27904.htm">relates to something that happened eight years ago.

That was when the company decided to close its rolling mill in Teesside.

That means the firm can only produce slab steel - for which there's limited demand. The mill would have allowed them to convert that slab steel into more marketable products.

The unions and local politicians warned in 2002 that the loss of the rolling mill could jeopardise the future of the whole site. Sadly, they seem to have been proved right.

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I found John Prescott in typically feisty form at Labour's Northern Conference in Sunderland.

Mind you, his battle bus seems to have shrunk. It's now a battle mini bus - an indicator perhaps of the limited resources Labour have available for this General Election campaign!

Size isn't everything of course, it's what you do with it that counts. So the Prescott Express will arrive in town accompanied by the theme tune to Rocky.

And although no punches %3Ca%20href="/iplayer/the_politics_show_north_east_and_cumbria">were thrown in our interview, believe me John Prescott - as ever - is larger than life.

He's also still an unrepentant advocate of regional government - despite that %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3984387.stm">overwhelming "No" vote in the North East.

He thinks his mistake was not to offer an assembly with greater powers - but he's convinced - as in Scotland and Wales - that voters who weren't keen will eventually come round to the idea.

Let me know what you make of that!

In any case, Mr Prescott admits this bus tour will be tougher than in previous elections.

Labour know they have to fight for every vote even if there's been some encouragement in the polls in the last month.

The Conference in Sunderland was about maintaining that momentum, and in his speech to delegates, David Miliband kept up the pressure on the Conservatives over Lord Ashcroft's tax status.

In particular, he was keen to talk about William Hague's dealings with the Tories' Deputy Chairman and donor.

Labour clearly think attacks over Ashcroft will pay dividends, and for the moment one of the most effective Tory campaigners - Mr Hague - does at least does seem to have been silenced.

Whether voters are taking much notice we'll have to see.

%3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/8554318.stm">David Miliband joked he was the warm-up act for Mr Prescott - but the former Deputy PM told me he'd recently had Barack Obama speak just before him, so it was nothing to shout about.

I also talked to Prezza about his incessant tweeting.

I'm talking %3Ca%20href="https://www.twitter.com">Twitter of course. I am one of his followers on the social networking site, but it's hard to keep up with the number of comments he posts.

He is mad keen on it, and told me that %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/meet_the_team/default.stm">Politics Show presenter Jon Sopel unsuspectingly helped him prove his commitment to tweeting.

One of his followers asked him to stitch in a mention of coconuts during Jon's interview to prove he did look at the tweets sent to him.

He duly obliged with a rather tortuous analogy, comparing life as a politician to being in a coconut shy.

His correspondent duly tweeted after the programme to say he'd passed the test!

The Moss Week:

Reading: %3Ca%20href="https://www.librarything.com/work/19522">Mr Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood. Terrific novel set in 1930s Berlin. Arthur Norris is a bewigged and rather sinister presence in a book which also chronicles the rise of the Nazis.

Watching: %3Ca%20href="/programmes/b0094j1x">Mad Men on ´óÏó´«Ã½4. Admen in 1960s New York. Apparently viewing figures for the series are barely measurable but it's the best thing on TV.

Clicking on: Twitter - what else? Don't try me with the Prescott test, but if you want to follow me, %3Ca%20href="https://www.twitter.com/richardpolshow">look for Richardpolshow.

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%3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/the_day_david_miliband_and_i_b.html">From the Foreign Office, to filming on a freezing football pitch in Redcar - it's been a varied week to say the least.

But there is a connection.

For Labour to keep its hold on the great offices of state they'll have to convince the kind of voters I encountered in Redcar to stick with them.

And that was why I rolled up at the local football team's training night.

I hasten to add I kicked no balls myself - the last time I did that I ended up with a sprained ankle.

But I was there to see what %3Ca%20href="https://www.redcarnewmarket.co.uk/">Redcar Newmarket's squad members made of Labour following the %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/02/labour_mp_accuses_ministers_of.html">mothballing of the town's steelworks.

It's a team that has included plenty of steelworkers in the past, and while talking to the squad I encountered a former apprentice, as well as people with relatives and friends who work there.

And many are now reconsidering their support for Labour. (You can see what they said on the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/default.stm">Politics Show this Sunday).

Several said they'd made up their minds to vote for someone else; others were considering switching for the first time.

Their opinions should worry Labour, but how concerned should they be?

%3Ca%20href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=vera+baird+mp+website&meta=&aq=0&oq=vera+baird+MP">The town's MP Vera Baird has a majority of 12,000, and Labour has held the seat since it was created in its current form 35 years ago.

But the Liberal Democrats - %3Ca%20href="https://ianswales.mycouncillor.org.uk/">and their candidate Ian Swales - believe they can pose a threat.

The party has won three recent council by-elections in the constituency and now has the same number of councillors as Labour.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.northeastconservatives.com/index.php?sectionid=100&pagenumber=156">The Tories also think they can attract dissenting voters, and with %3Ca%20href="https://www.ukip.org/northeast">UKIP already standing, and the BNP almost certain to, there will be a choice for disillusioned Labour supporters.

But there may be too many alternatives to actually threaten Labour, especially as some former supporters may decide not to vote at all.

So any protest vote is likely to be divided, even if it's probably the Lib Dems that have the most realistic ambitions.

Only one thing might change that - the emergence of a credible single-issue Save Our Steel candidate.

And Labour figures in the constituency do seem a little jumpy about that prospect.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/644578/Middlesbrough-chairman-ducks-no-questions-in-our-big-interview.html">But although the Middlesbrough FC owner Steve Gibson has talked about a potential a slate of Independent candidates in Teesside, there's no sign of it happening yet.

That may change, but until it does I suspect Labour may feel they can see off any steel-related rebellion in Redcar.

Of course that doesn't mean the mothballing of Corus won't influence contests elsewhere in Teesside.

%3Ca%20href="https://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/stocktonsouth">Stockton South and %3Ca%20href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesbrough_South_and_East_Cleveland_%28UK_Parliament_constituency%29">Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland are Tory targets with smaller Labour majorities and plenty of people who may be affected by the steelworks redundancies.

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I spent a fascinating day in the Foreign Office.

We were following David Miliband for the day to get an insight into his life as Foreign Secretary.

By the nature of what he does, there were only brief bursts of activity interspersed with long periods where we couldn't film for reasons of confidentiality.

But we still got a decent flavour of life there.

We saw him meet the South African Foreign Minister, then eavesdropped on a small part of a briefing he was getting ahead of his appearance at the Iraq inquiry next week.

I also became a tourist attraction at one point while walking down Whitehall with Mr Miliband towards the Commons for Foreign Office questions.

A gaggle of tourists, who were presumably there to snatch a look at 10 Downing Street next door rather than see me, spotted the camera, surmised there was something significant in the offing and started snapping.

It's possible I may soon adorn the odd photo album in Yokohama or Stockholm.

But what really took my breath away was the surroundings Mr Miliband works in.

%3Ca%20href="https://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/who-we-are/our-history/a-brief-history-fco/">The Foreign Office was built by Lord Palmerston at the height of Britain's imperial might - and it shows.

The main staircase would overwhelm any visiting dignitary, and David Miliband's office was certainly not furnished by Ikea.

I can imagine working there would either leave you intimidated or power-crazed.

Which was Mr Miliband? Intimidated, he insisted, by the weight of history - his office includes a bust of %3Ca%20href="/history/historic_figures/bevin_ernest.shtml">Labour's longest-serving Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin.

It's clearly a job he loves.

But during his packed day, I also asked him just how much of the life of a Foreign Secretary could possibly be spent on the problems of his South Shields constituents.

Oh, and the leadership question also came up!

You'll have to wait a couple of weeks for the answers as I still have to film the other part of his life in his constituency for the %3Ca%20href="https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/north_east_and_cumbria/default.stm">Politics Show.

I'll also be talking to some of his opponents in the contest for South Shields.

And at least I met some Foreign Office staff who confirmed that %3Ca%20href="/blogs/richardmoss/2010/03/trip_to_the_foreign_office.html">the Diplomatic Service exam I failed aged 21, is very tough - so at least I don't feel quite such a failure.

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I'm writing this missive on a bench in the sunshine of St James's Park (the London rather than Newcastle one).

Spring seems to have sprung here at least.

I'm here in some ways to get the flavour of a life that at one stage I thought I'd pursue.

I'm going into the %3Ca%20href="https://www.fco.gov.uk/en/">Foreign Office to spend a day filming with %3Ca%20href="https://www.davidmiliband.info/">David Miliband.

We're trying to find out how anyone can combine being Foreign Secretary with the role as an MP for, in his case, South Shields.

Now when I say I'm getting a taste of an alternate Richard Moss reality, I'd like to make it clear I never had any pretensions to be Foreign Secretary - I know my station.

But I did make an attempt to join the Diplomatic Service in my fey youth.

I think I had Graham Greene-like visions of postings in far flung and sunny parts of the globe.

But it's equally possible that I could have become a Foreign Office mandarin in Whitehall.

Sadly though I wasn't to be entrusted with supervising our relations with overseas nations, principally because I failed the entrance exam intelligence test!

I had particular problems with some rather strange questions about domino patterns which I'm afraid sent my head spinning and sealed my failure.

Of course the Foreign Office's loss was the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s gain I hear you cry.

But I suspect the offices I'm about to gain access to are going to be slightly more impressive than the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Pink Palace in Newcastle.

Still I'm not sure I was cut out to be diplomatic. I still quite fancy the idea of ambassador's receptions though - minus pyramids of Ferrero Rocher chocs though.

The Moss Week:

Watching: On Expenses. ´óÏó´«Ã½4's dramatisation of Speaker Michael Martin's battles with US journalist Heather Brooke. Was a decent stab at it although I found it slightly surreal to watch actors playing David Maclean and Stuart Bell.

Reading: Behind the Shades by former England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher.

Studying: Michael Cockerell's recent documentary about the recent history of the Foreign Office. Talking of which I'd better sign off and head there now.

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