BREXIT secretary David Davis said tonight that the North-East was "all open territory" for the Conservative party as the country goes to the polls on June 8.

As he spoke with farmers in the Sedgefield constituency – once Labour heartland as former Prime Minister Tony Blair's constituency – Mr Davies said Sedgefield, as well as Hartlepool, Tynemouth and Darlington could all turn blue next month.

He said: "Really we could see more than that. It is all open territory for us up here."

The Brexit secretary said Conservatives were mopping up votes from not only Labour "Brexiteers" but also remainers.

"The Labour remainers are crossing over too," he said. "They're saying actually, we want to vote for the people who will get us the best deal.

"That is why Theresa May shows up well against Jeremy Corbyn. We are seeing it in pretty much seat we are going to, including Hartlepool, Sedgefield, and Darlington.

"There is a very large number of prospective constituencies that we are aiming for."

Mr Davis was at Stony Flat Farm, near Bishopton, Stockton, to support Conservative candidate for Sedgefield Dehenna Davison, who said: "I think we are optimistic as well as realistic. Sedgefield is a very tough nut to crack, as the birthplace of New Labour."

The Brexit secretary had earlier visited Hartlepool - a key target for the party, as one of the Brexit heartlands of the UK – and spoken to the party faithful there.

But he brushed aside concerns about the economic impact of Brexit on the North-East, a region which is heavily reliant on EU exports.

He said: "If you look at the North-East, they themselves made the judgement to leave. Their judgement about what Nissan would do was better than the experts. They didn't believe those who were gloomy and doomy about it all. And we saw the growth figures were higher than those the Remainers predicted.

"In economic terms, it's about preserving frictionless free trade in Europe.

"This morning Michel Barnier (Europe's chief negotiator for Brexit) was saying he wanted a constructive deal with Britain, to everyone's advantage, not a deal against Britain, and that is the first time we have heard that sort of language, which is good.

"And the North-East may be net exporters but the whole country is a net importer, to the tune of £60bn or more, and at the same time we want to open up all the other parts of trade in the rest of the world.

"Bearing in mind Europe is comparatively prosperous, the fast growth comes from everywhere else. Europe's growth is about three per cent, but elsewhere in the world it is six per cent plus, so there are big opportunities there. So there is lots to be done, and a good deal for the North-East."