THIS is an important week for the North-East as the region prepares to welcome the Queen and Prince Philip during their national tour to celebrate the golden jubilee.

As well as representing an historic occasion, which is sure to attract huge crowds of well-wishers, it is also a golden opportunity for the region to showcase its talents, spirit and achievements.

During the two-day visit, the royal couple will see developments which symbolise the progress being made in our region: Gateshead's Millennium Bridge; the Metro link between Sunderland and Gateshead; the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art; and the new Gala Theatre in Durham City to name some of the highlights.

They will also have the opportunity to witness the regeneration of east Durham following the decline of coal mining.

Tomorrow, while the Queen is meeting the people of Darlington, the Duke of Edinburgh will visit the Stockton campus of Durham University - another significant step forward.

As well as being a chance for the North-East to shout about its considerable successes, it is also an opportunity for the Queen and the Duke to see at first hand what the region is capable of.

And we hope that they will go away impressed by the flexibility and drive of a region which has had to bounce back from more than its fair share of knocks.

TORY MP Ann Winterton last night told of her sadness and regret after she was sacked for making a racist joke at a rugby club dinner.

Hopefully, she will look in the mirror and concede that a very stupid woman is gazing back at her.

At a time of heightened racial tensions, it is bad enough for a comedian like Stan Boardman to make ill-judged remarks because, to a large extent, you know what to expect.

But it is mind-blowing for a shadow cabinet member to joke about Asians in this country being "ten a penny".

We congratulate Iain Duncan Smith for getting rid of her so swiftly. Of course it can be argued that he had no choice - but that has never stopped Tony Blair from dithering when a sacking has been the only clear option.