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As the North East mayoral election draws closer, director Sarah Waddington CBE has been checking out who is standing. Here she interviews her preferred candidate Kim McGuinness about her plans to make the North East the home of real opportunity.
What motivated you to stand for the position of mayor?
I love this region and I want it to succeed for everyone. I know some people will see that and think it’s a bit cringe, but I’m not ashamed to say I’m standing because I want to champion this great region and end the days in which the rest of the country thinks the North begins in Manchester and ends in Leeds. Yes, we face some big challenges, but we have huge potential.
What are the key points of difference between you and the incumbent?
So, this is an entirely new position created at the start of the North East devolution journey. If you live in Consett or Sunderland, devolution has meant nothing and done nothing for you so far. My job is to ensure everyone, not just big business, feels the benefit of devolution to the North East.
What are your priorities among the current inequalities facing the North East?
We need to end child poverty. It’s that simple. I want the North East to be the home of real opportunity and that means ensuring where you come from does not hold you back. I’ve made clear that as mayor I will judge every request for investment with the starting question ‘what does this do to end child poverty’. After that it’s about creating the infrastructure of opportunity. That means rebuilding a Sure Start network, introducing a mayor’s childcare grant and creating jobs in the foundational economy, those local jobs and services that actually keep a household going.
The North East has a number of major place-based strengths. How will you harness these?
Our regional pride is a huge asset and I will ensure we finally make our creative sector, from music to the arts, a key feature of our economic success. We are already making huge strides in green energy. But alongside that will be investment in jobs and investment in transport. I’ll set up a Mayoral Development Corporation to co-ordinate investment on our ports and rivers. And I’ll ensure we are upgrading and expanding the Metro and reopening the Leamside Line in County Durham.
What’s the number one outcome you will drive for if elected?
The number one outcome my office will measure will be the reduction in child poverty. But I think the wider outcome for our North East will be the sense that we have built on our regional pride and are leading the way in taking powers out of London. I think many of us in the North East have watched the media treat Andy Burnham like he represents all of us and thought, ‘hang on, there’s more to the North than Manchester’. We need a strong voice winning investment in our region, fighting for our North East, and that’s my mission.
I’d be grateful for your vote on 2nd May. If you’d like to know more about what I stand for or to get involved with my campaign, please visit www.kimmcguinness.org
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