THE case for Teesport is increasingly becoming a no-brainer.

Teesport's owners want to invest £300m in a new deep water container terminal. They will not do it, though, if their plans are to be sunk by a Government ports strategy that favours the expansion of southern ports.

The North-East needs jobs. Thousands of people are emigrating from the region every year to find work elsewhere.

In fact, the south needs the North-East to have jobs because otherwise people from the North-East will be forced down south to work. This will add to the housing, schooling and transport crises in the overcrowded south while leaving the North-East depopulated.

To add weight to the argument, the Teesside chemicals industry estimates that £5bn of investment may be lost unless the Government embraces Teesport. This is a staggering figure. This is investment that our beleaguered manufacturing sector cannot afford to lose. This is an investment the North-East economy as a whole cannot afford to lose.

In fact, there are no reasons why the Government should not encourage private investment into Teesport. It is a no-brainer. So why isn't it?

Cricketing pride

CONGRATULATIONS to Durham County Cricket Club. It is England's youngest county, having been granted first class status in 1991. At the moment, it is England's most important county - the only county providing three players in the current England XI playing against Pakistan.

Congratulations to Middlesbrough's Liam Plunkett on making his international debut; congratulations to Shotley Bridge's Paul Collingwood for being the backbone of England's first innings, and we trust that by the time you read this Ashington's Steve Harmison will have weighed in with a hatful of wickets.

Even though the British Government has yet to put Teesport on the international map, at least the English cricketing authorities have allowed Durham to show that there is much to be proud of coming out of the North-East.