THE Parliamentary football team made up of Westminster MPs is playing a North-East team in a charity match at St James' Park tomorrow.

The regional team is made up of representatives from key North-East institutions.

The Regional Development Agency One NorthEast, the Government Office for the North East, the GMB trade union, the Campaign for the North East Assembly and the Campaign for the English Regions (CFER) will all be represented.

The fun match comes at a time when the Government is preparing to launch a White Paper that will propose the creation of elected regional government.

Commenting on the match, national campaign officer for CFER, Don Price, said: "Sunday should be great fun and will raise money for children's charities in the region.

"The fact that the MPs have agreed to play a North-East team is a recognition of the strong identity of the region.

"I hope people will come along to cheer the North-East and donate to the charity."

Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn added: "It is great for me personally to be playing for the Parliamentary team back here in the North-East.

"We hope to raise lots of money for charity and get the message across that the North-East is really going places.

"I will be taking the opportunity to show some of my colleagues some of the new developments in the region."