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NE referendum spending revealed. Figures released by the Electoral Commission have revealed that the groups campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote in the North East referendum spent twice as much as the ‘no’ campaign. The total ‘yes’ spending revealed so far was over £400,000, but that figure could rise to nearer a million when further figures are released in May. In addition the Government spent over £3 million. ‘No’ campaigners spent roughly £200,000.

Regional assembly campaigners spent £400,000 and lost
By Rod Minchin

GROUPS backing the unpopular North East Regional Assembly spent at least £400,000 on their campaigns only to be humiliated at the polls, it was revealed yesterday.

Figures from the Electoral Commission show that Yes4theNorthEast spent more than £250,000, the Labour Party £125,000 and trade unions £35,000. The final bill, which is likely to be revealed later this year, may be almost £1 million.

Despite vast expenditure and support from a host of senior politicians and celebrities including John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, and Ray Mallon, a former police chief in the North East, the “yes” campaigners received a resounding thumbs-down from voters.

The North East was the first English region to hold a referendum on establishing an assembly. It voted against by 696,519 to 197,310 in the November poll. All 23 council areas in the region produced a “no” vote.

The result was a personal humiliation for Mr Prescott, who has championed the cause of regional government for more than 30 years.

Supporters of the assembly argued that it would help to bring economic regeneration to one of the most deprived parts of the country. Opponents dismissed it as an expensive talking shop with no real powers and portrayed it as a giant white elephant — an image that stuck in voters’ minds.

According to yesterday’s report there were 16 registered campaigners. Expenditure was capped at £100,000 for most. However, registered political parties and organisations designated by the Commission to represent each side of the referendum issue could spend up to £665,000.

The exact amount Yes4theNorthEast spent will not be revealed until later in the year because it spent more than £250,000, but the figure could reach £665,000.

North East Says No, which was the official “no” campaign, spent £142,900; its Sunderland-based “no” rival Neil Herron spent £28,270. The Conservative Party, which had opposed the referendum, spent £30,243.

The Labour Party spent £124,126 and trade unions £35,038