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The victories for Kim McGuinness and Susan Dungworth as respectively the Major of the North East and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Northumbria are obviously good for the Labour Party as we near what I hope is a decisive general election.

But these posts are mainly about the people of the North East and my priority is to help Kim and Susan to carry out the mandates in their manifestoes.

Kim is rightly critical of a system that punishes us as we repeatedly see government prioritise London and the South for transport investment, job creation, and decision-making.

I will back Kim as she seeks to reverse England’s London-first approach and build the greenest public transport in the UK, with buses back under public control. She is also right to say we need more well-paid local jobs, make sure everyone has a good home, reimagine our struggling high streets, and put our proud North East culture at the heart of our economics. The North East can be the real Northern powerhouse.

Kim was previously the PCC and won over £1 million to improve public safety. The new PCC, Susan Dungworth seeks to extend that legacy.

Susan rightly promises to reduce violence against women and girls, knife crime, county drug lines, and rural crime. She will ensure the Police tackle Anti-Social Behaviour and restore neighbourhood policing.

This requires communicating with and listening to you so you feel properly represented and protected by the Police and confident in reporting crimes and knowing criminals will be pursued.

All that in turn requires properly funded Police and public services and that highlights the need for national change.

Mary Glindon is Labour MP for North Tyneside

Mary Glindon MP: Making the North East the real Northern powerhouse