On the train on my way back from Downing Street reception for regional editors with the Prime Minister.

You never get very long at these things but I did get chance to discuss the Corus crisis with Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling, Peter Mandelson, and Redcar MP Vera Baird.

The PM was aware of this week's promising news of 150 jobs being saved at South Bank coke works, and a probable month-long stay of execution for Teesside Cast Products.

I grew up in South Bank, my dad worked at the coke works, and I did my best to hammer home the dependence of local communities on steel.

"We are doing all we can," said Mr Brown.

Vera Baird had told me earlier that she was confident the PM "had been doing lots" behind the scenes since she and her fellow Teesside MPs, Ashok Kumar and Dari Taylor, lobbied him in his Scottish constituency at the end of December.

Mr Brown praised the North-East for leading the way on the low-carbon agenda and I told him how much it would mean to the region if Nissan wins the contract to manufacture electric cars.

I also had a catch up chat with Durham MPs Kevan Jones and Roberta Blackman-Woods.

Kevan is going to be writing us a piece about why he backed the Iraq war at the time - and why he still backs it now.

I want a strong build-up to Tony Blair giving evidence to the inquiry in a few weeks time and, as Defence Minister, Kevan has an interesting perspective.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing," he said.