THE North-East must get the same powers over its own affairs as Scotland or Wales, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said today (Friday, November 21).

Lord Prescott, who spearheaded the failed campaign to deliver an elected assembly for the region in 2004, said the North-East was “entitled” to the same treatment and “must get it now”.

Speaking in Durham, the Labour heavyweight admitted his assembly proposals had lacked muscle and would have amounted to “no more than a kind of county council”, blaming his former Cabinet colleagues for blocking a stronger offer.

“I couldn’t get it (more powers) out of the Cabinet. I have to accept we didn’t have enough powers,” he said.

The 76-year-old’s comments come the day after Prime Minister David Cameron again promised “English votes for English laws” within the UK Parliament.

Conservatives have rejected regional assemblies as another layer of bureaucracy, but London already has a powerful elected mayor and Greater Manchester will get one in 2017.

The North-East has lagged behind, however, with the region split between two combined authorities and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs).

Lord Prescott urged the region not to “miss your chance again” on devolution, warning without “political will” the region would be “bypassed again”.

Speaking to The Northern Echo at the Chartered Institute of Housing North East’s annual conference, he said: “Don’t miss your chance again on decentralisation and devolution like you did in rejecting my assembly proposals over a decade ago.

“On reflection at that time I really wasn’t offering any more than a kind of county council, because I couldn’t get the same powers as they did in Scotland and Wales.

“The North is entitled to that – on population, on share of wealth and on basic fairness. We must get it now.

“But if they don’t believe the connectivity is established, you’ll be bypassed again. The only thing that changes that is political will. We need the same powers, the same resources.”

Darlington-based businessman Graham Robb, who led the campaign against Lord Prescott’s assembly, said old and discredited ideas were being re-framed, whereas what was needed were new powers for business leaders to offer more economic power.

“If politicians and think tanks take over this agenda it will end it ‘tiers’ – tiers of bureaucracy, tiers of political power from parish council to Europe and tiers of decision making that will slow things down as arguments rage over who is responsible for what,” Mr Robb added.

Simon Henig, leader of Durham County Council and the North East Combined Authority, said he did not believe there was support for an elected assembly and combined authorities were the vehicle for devolution being promoted by the Government.

Lord Prescott also said he tried and failed to change the controversial Barnett Formula, which means much more public money goes to Scotland than the North-East, but Cabinet colleagues were worried about upcoming Scottish elections.

He said the success of the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) was the electorate telling politicians they weren’t doing well enough and backed under-pressure Labour leader Ed Miliband, saying he had a big job on his hands to communicate what he believes but he was a decent, honest man and will be Prime Minister.