ONE of the country's most influential think-tanks will today open a branch in the North-East.

Prime Minister Tony Blair will be at St James' Park in Newcastle for the launch of the northern Institute of Public Policy Research (ippr).

The new body promises to "bring the public together with academics, politicians and government to provide a new source of creative policy thinking and robust research".

It will conduct research into the region's economic development, planning, transport and housing. It will also be looking at ways of improving public involvement in politics - and it seems more than coincidental that its arrival is in the year when the North-East and Yorkshire hold referendums on regional government.

The ippr is probably Mr Blair's favoured think-tank. Recently he poached its director, Matthew Taylor, to become an advisor.

The acting director of ippr Nick Pearce said: "We are the first think-tank to open an office in the North of England and we believe there's a real thirst for more policy debate in the North.

"People who are interested in broad political themes, or the decisions which affect their community, just don't have the same opportunities for debate and dialogue which exist in London. ippr north is not a pre-referendum gimmick. We are committed for the long haul."

The ippr's director of research, who will be based at the Bioscience Centre in Newcastle, is John Adams.