AS the campaigning was formally launched this week for a May 5 election, we underlined the need for more action to help the North-East recover from the repeated blows it has taken as a result of the manufacturing crisis.

Today, we present the case for the next Government to do something really positive about addressing the North-South divide and replacing thousands of those lost jobs.

We want the Government to agree to a "ports strategy" which favours the North-East over the over-heated South-East. We believe it makes sense for the country as a whole because it will help create a greater economic balance.

PD Ports is ready to pump millions of pounds into developing a deep water container terminal on the Tees, which could create up to 7,000 jobs and give crucial companies such as Corus a fighting chance to survive in the global market.

Coupled with the redevelopment of Durham Tees Valley Aiport, it would be another huge boost to the economy of the sub-region.

Having repeatedly failed to listen to pleas to change the formula for distributing government grants, which shamefully discriminates against the North-East, it is time for ministers to treat this region as a special case. This is an opportunity to do exactly that.

Or are we to enter a third term of a Labour Government, led by a Prime Minister who represents a North-East constituency, which has stood aside and allowed the scandal of the North-South divide to continue?