A NUMBER of recent correspondents to this page were quite correct to be appalled about the fact that, yet again, the North-East has been overlooked by this Government.

This time, the Government has ignored the compelling case for a high-speed rail-link serving the region.

As has been pointed out, such a link would have been hugely beneficial to the North-East’s economy. It is scandalous that the Government has, yet again, chosen to ignore our area.

Where on earth were the region’s MPs when our area needed them? Why have they, yet again, failed to stand up for our area? The total failure of Labour MPs to make the case for the region is another example of the Labour Party taking us for granted.

I’m standing for election as a proud North-Easterner, independent of the complacent local Labour elite that has governed the area for so long.

I believe that our area now needs people such as myself willing to fight for this region, make a passionate case for the North-East and make clear that our region being ignored by Westminster is no longer acceptable.

David Skelton, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, North Durham.