AN MP spoke of how "angry" she was about cuts at one North-East council that are now expected to reach £100m over the next three years.

Catherine McKinnell (Lab; Newcastle North) led a Commons debate sparked by fury over reductions planned by cash-starved Newcastle City Council - including the axing of its entire £2.5m budget for arts organisations.

The move has led to protests from what Ms McKinnell called "well-known Geordies" from the world of culture, including Sting, Jimmy Nail, Mark Knopfler and Lee Hall.

They fear the impact on "treasured assets" such as the Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, Dance City, Live Theatre, the Tyneside Cinema and the recently renamed the National Centre for Children's Books.

Meanwhile, the Labour-run authority also proposes to close ten of its 18 libraries, including those in Dinnington, Newbiggin Hall and Fawdon in the Newcastle North constituency.

In the Commons, Ms McKinnell laid the blame firmly at the Government's door, warning that further grant cuts - announced just before Christmas - suggested Newcastle would now need to make £100m of cuts, rather than £90m.

And she said: "I am so angry at the invidious position in which Newcastle City Council now finds itself.

"Being forced to choose between services which make Newcastle the fun, vibrant, economically viable city it is - or services such as protecting the most vulnerable children in our community.

"This scenario is frankly devastating - coming just after what must have been Britain's most successful ever sporting year and a London Olympics which was intended to 'inspire a generation'."

Ms McKinnell accused ministers of being "totally complacent, dismissive and even indifferent", after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles accused North-East council leaders of talking "complete tosh" about cuts.

Ministers have insisted councils such as Newcastle will still receive far higher Government funding than wealthier authorities in the South.