THE Deputy Prime Minister has told North-East trade unionists they have a key role in securing a regional assembly.

John Prescott told a conference of the Northern TUC at Durham County Cricket Club, Chester-le-Street, on Saturday that, although market research showed a two to one majority in favour of an assembly, the yes campaign had to continue making its case.

"You'll only get it if you work for it. If you let it go, you won't get this opportunity again."

Mr Prescott said there were "very good trade union reasons" for having an assembly, such as greater prosperity and greater democratic accountability.

He said the country had become more prosperous overall since 1997 and that there was less unemployment, but the differentials between regions had not changed. An assembly could tackle not only economic issues but other problems, such as obesity and life expectancy.

Key decisions and plans currently made by unelected quangos would be made in the region by an elected assembly which, like the Scottish Parliament, would consult trade unions.

Mr Prescott said that regional development agencies had done some good work, but had made no great impact in reducing regional differentials. He said the assembly's powers were a "moving feast" and more had been included in the draft bill.

Policies in areas such as learning and skills should be set regionally to reflect local priorities, Mr Prescott told the conference.

He said there would be an all-postal ballot in the North-East because it had been done here before and that none of the allegations about fraud during experiments in the June European and local elections related to the region.

Mr Prescott said it would have been unfair to cancel the referendum in the North-East when the Electoral Commission had found no evidence of problems in the region.

He praised the Northern TUC's booklet, Unions Vote Yes, which puts the arguments for an assembly.

Northern TUC chairwoman Gill Hale, the regional secretary of Unison, said: "The case for an assembly is overwhelming.

"You don't have to look at the document very long to see all the reasons why it is going to be so important for our region. We have a lot of work to do to make sure people vote on the day."

But Neil Herron, director of the North-East Says No Campaign, criticised Unison, the main local government union, for supporting the yes campaign.

"We have Unison members joining our campaign. It is strange that they are giving money through their union subscriptions to the other side and there is nothing they can do about it.

"Unison decided to support the yes campaign before the White Paper was published and before the implications of local government reorganisation in County Durham and Northumberland, which could include job losses, came onto the radar.

"It is the upper echelons, the hierarchy of the unions, that want an assembly."