THE title “the North-East” is inward-looking and provincial and the region needs to be rebranded for a global age, a respected business chief claimed yesterday.

Stephen Taylor, an advisor to several governments, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, told a business leaders’ summit: “When you say ‘North-East’, North-East of what?

“North-East of a small island off the coast of Europe?

“Calling yourself the North-East implies inward looking.

“‘We’re the North-East of England’, you say. Well, where’s England? Bavaria doesn’t call itself South-West Germany. Milan doesn’t call itself Northern Italy.”

Speaking to The Northern Echo later, Mr Taylor, a managing director of consultancy Alix Partners, said: “I have a meeting tomorrow in Vienna.

Shall I say I was in the North-East? Shall I say I was in Newcastle?

“I don’t care what you call yourselves. But anything that refers to itself by reference to a section of a small place off the coast of Europe is saying: ‘We’re looking internally – we’re provincial’. I’m saying: ‘Look global’.

“The North-East has got an identity. I’m not denigrating that in any way. I think it’s fantastic.

I’m saying: ‘Look at the branding’, as you look out to the world: to China, to Brazil, to Morocco.”

Mr Taylor was addressing the annual conference of the North-East Economic Forum, at the Hilton Hotel, said to be in “Newcastle/Gateshead”.

He urged the North to create a “London bypass” by getting its own “big airport”, attracting and keeping talent, and embracing competition.

Paul Woolston, chairman of the North-Eastern Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said the North-East was a powerful brand he wanted to retain and develop.

Sarah Green, North-East regional director of the CBI, said the North-East had lost its “mojo” and momentum worrying about institutions.

“Four years ago, this region was fighting. We used to talk about electric vehicle successes. For whatever reason, we’re allowing ourselves to go backwards.

We need to get back on the front foot and start fighting,” she said.

Sandy Anderson, chairman of Tees Valley Unlimited LEP, said the region had to build on the successes of the outgoing regional development agency One North East, but added: “The reality is the needs of the Tees Valley are different to the needs of Newcastle. We’re not competing against Newcastle or Northumberland – we’re competing against Rotterdam or Singapore.”

Elected mayors 'Yes' ... but First Minister 'No'

ELECTED mayors could pop up across the region if Newcastle backs the Government initiative first, Tory grandee Lord Heseltine suggested yesterday.

Newcastle will decide whether it wants a directly elected mayor in a referendum on Thursday, May 3.

No other towns or cities in the region without a mayor are in line to get one.

However, Lord Heseltine, who used the annual conference of the North-East Economic Forum to urge Newcastle to vote “yes”, said that, pending a positive result, he hoped other new mayors could follow.

“The chances are very good.

There are already some mayors.

Once it is established, it will spread,” he said.

The former Deputy Prime Minister rejected fears multiple mayors would compete between themselves, saying: “I think they’d get together and form a very powerful local lobby – and central government will encourage that.”

The 78-year-old peer also rejected calls for a single political figurehead for the region, saying: “There would be a lot of trouble with the rivalry of the boroughs.

“It’s a perfectly reasonable argument, but it’s politically more controversial.”

Also during yesterday’s summit, Labour heavyweight David Miliband backed elected mayors, saying they would strengthen the region.

Andrew Stunnell, a Liberal Democrat local government minister, said the UK ought to have strong regional cities but it currently did not.

Sir Ian Wrigglesworth, a former Labour and Social Democratic Party MP who has advised the Government on the Regional Growth Fund, also backed the proposal.

Councillor Nigel Martin, leader of Durham County Council’s Liberal Democrats, floated the idea of a North- East “First Minister”, similar to Scotland’s Alex Salmond.

However, Lord Heseltine said politics made this impossible.

The initiative should begin with Newcastle, whose mayor may subsequently become a voice for the wider region, he said.

'My pride in saved jobs'

THE chairman of Southern Cross says he is “very proud” of the way he broke up the failed care firm.

The Darlington-based company was Britain’s biggest care home operator, responsible for 31,000 elderly residents, until it collapsed last year.

Stephen Taylor, who became the firm’s chairman last summer, said all 752 homes had since been transferred to new operators and all but 244 of its 44,000 staff had been given new jobs.

He was “very proud” that there had been “virtually nil” job losses in Darlington, Mr Taylor, managing director of Alix Partners, said yesterday.

Asked to explain Southern Cross’ demise, he said: “There were a lot of reasons. My focus is not to look backwards but to look forwards.

“In all honesty, I don’t actually care why Southern Cross got into the position it did. I’m looking forward.”

Asked about the future, Mr Taylor said: “The business has all been transferred. Those new operators are in a better position than Southern Cross was to invest in those homes – to care for the physical and the organisational structure.

“The position of all the residents is secured: not one home had to close as part of this process. I’m hoping that the residents sleep soundly in their beds and so do the employees.

“Most of the Darlington staff have found a role going forward.

There’s a very, very limited number of job losses overall. To the extent we can help those people find alternative jobs as well, we’ll do so.”