A POLITICAL partnership spanning a quarter of a century will come to an end at the next General Election.

Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster has already announced he will not stand for re-election and will retire from political life.

Now his trusted right-hand man, Billy Neilson, has decided to leave his post after 25 years.

Mr Neilson, 62, said: "I have worked closely with Derek for 25 years and that is a long time. It has been an enjoyable experience and I can honestly say that in all that time, we have never had a cross word.

"There have been a lot of difficult times, and Derek has achieved a tremendous amount over the years and it is good to stand back and see that. I just think now is the time to hang up my boots.''

Last night, Mr Foster paid tribute to the man who has been at his side throughout his time as MP.

He said: "Billy really has helped me to keep in touch with what is happening in the constituency. There is nobody he does not know and he has done such a lot for a lot of people. He gets on extremely well with people and they trust him.

"He has a sharp mind and a wonderful sense of humour and we have laughed a lot together over the years.

"Billy is the epitome of an urban man - but what happened in the foot-and-mouth crisis was horrific and soon he became an expert on rural policies to the point where experts were asking for his advice.

"He will be a tremendous miss to the constituency and it will take half a dozen people to fill his shoes.''