CAMPAIGNERS hoping to bring 7,000 jobs to the region want top politicians - including Prime Minister Tony Blair - to declare their support for the plan.

The Northern Echo's Support Our Port campaign is helping PD Ports to put pressure on the Government to create a strategy that would see the company invest £300m into Teesport.

Already, the campaign has won the backing of businesses and some local politicians.

But, so far, key Labour candidates in the region - such as Tony Blair - have failed to say if they would devise a national ports strategy to stop investment pouring into congested southern ports and bring prosperity to the North-East.

Now Martin Pellew, group development director for PD Ports, has written to the major Labour candidates to press for their support.

He wants permission to invest £300m to create a deep sea container terminal to bring in more ships direct from the Far East.

It would create thousands of jobs, cut down on congestion and start to close the £29bn productivity gap between the North and the rest of the UK.

In his letter, Mr Pellew says that developing a ports strategy is in tune with the Labour Party manifesto, which makes a commitment to "increase shipping and ports capacity".

The letter goes on: "PD Teesport's plans to develop a deep sea container port, which could see up to 7,000 new jobs created in the Tees Valley and the North-East, are clearly in line with this ambition.

"But to make this ambition succeed - in the best way possible for the UK economy, regeneration and the environment - the North-East needs commitment from the Government.

"To date, the Government has decided to evaluate the Southern ports' expansion ahead of formulating this much-needed strategy.

"Whilst the South-East economy overheats, suffers from a shortage of people to fill jobs at the ports and sees the region's roads becoming ever-more congested, the North-East can offer a solution."

He said the Tees Valley area could offer development, a ready workforce, and a chance to cut congestion and pollution caused by freight moving from South to North on the UK's roads.

And Mr Pellew pressed the Government to:

* Consider the proposals for Teesport on a "fast-track basis";

* Upgrade rail freight lines so the region's lines can accommodate larger modern containers;

* Upgrade the region's rail lines to put them on a par with those in the South, which he said were now rated as more important.

Mr Pellew added: "Such commitments would bring us many steps closer to bringing more jobs, inward investment and associated economic benefits to the North-East and would start to close the £29bn output gap identified in the Northern Way, between the North and the rest of the UK."

He said the most important step for the new Government on May 5 was to rapidly create a national port strategy before deciding on any of the existing Southern-based plans, which will be decided by the autumn.

PD Ports has already secured the backing of some Teesside Labour candidates, including Vera Baird, Ashok Kumar and Dari Taylor, but is still hoping for support from Mr Blair, Darlington candidate Alan Milburn and others across the region.

Mr Pellew has also written to Liberal Democrat, Conservative and other candidates in the Tees Valley asking for their support.

Conservative transport spokesman Tim Yeo, backing Teesport's plans, said his party would implement a national ports strategy if elected.