North East Mayoral Elections: Kim McGuinness lays out her targets
Written by James Young on 11th March 2024
Kim McGuinness, who is representing Labour in the upcoming North East mayoral election, has outlined her three main priorities if she was to be elected.
Image credit (Kim McGuinness media team)
She told Spark that she would focus on “Job creation, from the foundational economy with measures to support the high street to green engineering jobs backed by a Mayoral Development Corporation covering our ports and rivers.
“The greenest public transport in the country – a bus network taken back into public control and an expanded Tyne and Wear Metro.
“A thriving creative economy, we’ve got to stop thinking of the arts, culture, screen and music as add ons to our economy. We can grow this sector, powered by our regional pride, and make the North East, not London, a home for the UK creative industry.”
Child poverty is a also big issue currently in the North East and Kim outlined how she is going to stop it.
She said, “Ending child poverty will be embedded in every decision the mayor takes – if a company wants to benefit from public fund they will have to set out what their project does to end child poverty in the North East.”
She also added: “This first pledge will support other targeted measures, the top of which will be the creation of Sure Start Plus centres, helping support families and teaching young people pre-apprenticeship skills or access to creative arts.”
Kim made a promise to the people of the North East stating, “Within four years our region will have more jobs, fewer children in poverty and public transport under public control.”
Kate Osbourne (Labour) the MP for Jarrow describes the upcoming election as “much needed”.
She said: “The Government has proved time and again it doesn’t care about our Northern communities, a devolved Mayor will enable a voice for the North to bring much needed investment back to our towns and cities.”
Kate added: “I look working with Kim and to ensure all her plans are delivered to the people of the forward to North East.”
