BUSINESS leaders and MPs have backed a decision by northern newspaper editors to take the unprecedented step of demanding, with one voice, greater powers for the region.

The editors of some of the north's best-known titles – including The Northern Echo, Yorkshire Post, Manchester Evening News, the Journal and the Gazette – have united to urge the leaders of the three main parties to give the north of England a fair share of the country's prosperity.

MPs have welcomed the move, as has the North-East Chamber of Commerce, whose chief executive, James Ramsbotham, said: "The North-East has much to boast about, our manufacturing and engineering prowess underpins an economy bursting with potential from our vibrant business base, we have the country’s fastest growing export figures and more people in employment than at any time in our past.

“Our region will be most impacted by changes in Scotland and we must be part of any settlement consultation.

"This is not a decision that should be reached in the corridors of Holyrood and Westminster only.

"We are not asking to be a special case or for additional help – we can help ourselves.

"As a region we must say to the Government, 'back us as you have other regions of the UK and we will show you what we can deliver'."

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, said: “The guarantee of additional powers for Scotland – irrespective of the referendum result – presents particular challenges for the north of England.

"The Northern Echo is happy to be joining forces with other major regional newspapers to call on party leaders to ensure the north of England is not overshadowed or neglected.”

Jeremy Clifford, editor of The Yorkshire Post, added: "The debate over the referendum in Scotland has opened up a much wider call for increased powers for the regions.

"We are joining with newspaper titles across the north to ensure this vitally-important part of England does not lose out in the aftermath of the Scotland decision."

Journal editor Brian Aitken said: "The unprecedented coming together of the great northern newspaper brands should send a clear message to our politicians that it is vital they make sure the North does not suffer from having an economic powerhouse to the south and a far more competitive Scotland to the north."

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman described the decision of the editors to set aside the commercial rivalries to act in unison as 'very interesting'.

She said: "The idea of a regional assembly was comprehensively rejected at a referendum in 2004 and it doesn't strike me that there's an appetite for another layer of government.

"However, I think there's a very strong sense developing, which has grown [since the referendum in 2004], which makes me believe that people in the North-East want to see decision-making brought closer to home.

"I am thinking particularly about transport and education, especially post-16 education."

Mrs Chapman wants the North-East to take control of its own public transport infrastructure, particularly after ministers dumped plans to remove the ageing Pacer trains from the region's rail network.

She added: "People in the North-East feel quite strongly that their views are not taken into account as much as they should be.

"I feel very positive about what has happened in Scotland, it is a shot in the arm for democracy and shows how passionate people are about politics if the question is relevant to them."

Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman added: "I do not think it would be appropriate for us [in the North-East] to have all the powers that the Scots have got.

"I don't want us to have separate criminal law, for example, but I am strongly in favour of us getting more power.

"As well as having a fairer share of the nation's resources in our region, we need to be able to control how those resources are used."