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Jamie Driscoll has pledged to unite the region behind his ambitious policies in his first interview since becoming Labour North of Tyne mayoral candidate.

The left-wing councillor comfortably beat Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes in a vote of Labour members to win the right to stand in the May 2 election.

Councillor Driscoll, who has represented the city's monument ward since 2018, is a relative newcomer to politics but has already made a big splash.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

His victory once again demonstrates the Labour Party's lurch to the left in recent years and shines a light on the schism in the party.

Speaking to ChronicleLive immediately after the shock victory, a conciliatory Coun Driscoll said he wanted to take his party's members and the wider electorate with him in his quest to be the region's first elected mayor.

He said: "I'm confident that the policies we've put forward we can delivered.

"I know that because every single one of them is already being delivered somewhere else.

"Media people love public profiles and that sort of story but the people from our region just want someone who is going to get on with the job."

Asked what type of mayor he would be, Coun Driscoll said: "We need a mayor who will be close to the people, out talking to the people, but mostly a mayor who will deliver policies that make a difference.

"There's all sorts of things make a difference, our housing crisis needs fixing so it's about working to find the ways to deliver affordable accommodation that people can live in and have secure homes.

"It's about working with local businesses to make sure they have opportunities and the finances and support they need to bid, for example, for public sector contracts so they're not going to big corporations that don't pay their taxes."

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(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

Winning the backing of several local Labour politicians - including interim mayor Norma Redfearn, who announced the result - didn't help Nick Forbes fight off the challenger from with within his own group.

Buoyed by endorsements from influential left-wingers like John McDonnell and commentator Paul Mason, Labour members rallied behind the 'Corbyn candidate' and rejected the experience of Coun Forbes, the race's establishment figure.

The eventual result was 2,514 votes to 1,913 in a poll of Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Labour members.

But in a week where eight MPs left the party in protest at Corbyn's leadership, Coun Driscoll played down splits in the party.

He said: "The Labour party in this part of the world is united in know that we need good regional policies that are going to protect us from the sort of cuts we are facing from Westminster that our bleeding our region dry.

He added: "I'm confident we are totally united on this."

Asked if he was confident he would be able to deliver his ambitious policy platform - which includes setting up a regional bank and overhauling climate policy - he said: "The policies that I'm advocating are really mainstream policies.

"For example, the banking policy, most of it is done in Germany who have the equivalent of a Tory Government. People love a good story about left versus right, but this is really about delivering things which are going to make a difference to people.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

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"When people see these policies are real, can be delivered and are going to make a difference they're going to want to be on board."

Asked if he was willing and prepared to work with other parties, especially the Conservatives, he said: "Yes, we can work with other parties when we can convince them that our policies are right."