THE North-East will not have to accept a London-style mayor to get greater powers over its own future, the Prime Minister said today (Monday, December 1).

Facing growing pressure to grant greater devolution to the English regions, David Cameron said his Government had given more money and more powers to cities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) through City Deals and Local Growth Deals but he was “very open to more suggestions about what more can be done”.

He confirmed the North-East would not have to agree to a single elected mayor, as exists in London and is planned for Greater Manchester, to win more say over its own affairs, insisting: “We can do different things in different ways in different parts of the country.

“The question is always: is there a good system of accountability in order to make sure that when money and power are devolved, they’re properly exercised?

“We’re very happy to listen to more ideas for what more can be done.”

The PM’s comments seem to put him at odds with his Chancellor George Osborne, who last month warned any region hoping for powers over transport, health, housing and the police would have to accept a cross-border Boris Johnson-style leader.

Ross Smith, director of policy at the North East Chamber of Commerce, called for clarity.

“There has been talk of Government devolving powers as and when regions have the leadership and capacity to deliver.

“If that is the intention, then we need clarity over what this leadership and capacity looks like to ensure we can put it in place.”

More broadly however, any relaxation of such terms would likely be welcomed in a region which failed to form either a single Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) or combined authority.

Speaking in Cramlington, Northumberland, Mr Cameron said he did not support the creation of new regional assemblies, such as that rejected by the North-East in a 2004 referendum, because he did not want “lots more politicians and all the rest of it”.

“I think giving power through these City Deals and Growth Deals is the right answer,” the Conservative leader said.

There has been growing unrest in the English regions over promises made to Scotland to defeat the independence campaign.

In the North-East, there is particular anger over the Barnett formula, which means the government currently spends £733 per year on each person in Scotland than in the much poorer North-East, and allowing the Scottish Parliament to set airport duty, with claims our region’s airports will suffer and around 1,000 jobs will be lost.

Labour has promised £30bn of devolution to the English regions and a Senate of the Regions to replace the House of Lords.

Mr Cameron has backed “English votes for English laws” within the existing parliamentary setup.