LEFT-WING union leader Len McCluskey will use his Miners’ Gala address to call for the North East to get the same deal as Northern Ireland.

The general secretary of Unite will accuse the government of “bunging” £1 billion to Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party to help Theresa May’s minority government “cling to power”.

In his speech to supporters in Durham, Mr McCluskey is expected to say: “Unite is the biggest union in Northern Ireland and I’m pleased for our members that there will be more money for their communities and services.

“But if the government can find money to invest in Northern Ireland, it must be found for all our nations and all our regions.

“A billion pounds would go a long way to helping regenerate industries here in the North East. It would help fill the gaping hole left when the Tories let a world-class plant at Redcar close its doors, throwing 2,000 skilled men and women out of work.

“So I demand the same deal for the North East as for Northern Ireland. Theresa May, you have saved you own skin with taxpayers’ cash but there are far worthier causes for our public money right here in the North East.”

The trade unionist, who has led Unite since 2010 and is considered a key ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, is one of the main platform speakers at this year’s Gala which is expected to be attended by a 200,000-strong crowd.

He is also expected to use his speech to accuse the government of “raising false hopes” of a pay raise for the country’s millions of public sector workers and will call for Prime Minister Theresa May to resign office.

Mr McCluskey is expected to tell the crowd: “How dare David Cameron emerge from his luxury shed – which costs more than many earn the North East in a year – to condemn workers whose wages have been cut year on year for seven years as selfish?

“How dare Theresa May and her MPs echo this insult by traipsing through the Commons’ lobby to make you poorer?

“It’s time for a government for the people, for us to take back control of our public services, our transport, our NHS.

“It’s time for a £10 an hour basic wage, for homes to be built again – and to be fit for humans.

“It’s time to be rid of the aberration of human dignity of zero hours contracts.

“Ultimately, it’s time to put people before profit.

“Theresa May, for the good of this country, go, and go now.”