PETER Mandelson is an unlikely disciple of regional government. A man so closely associated with political presentation and strategy is a strange advocate for a devolved structure which will inevitably entail frequent bouts of dissension and discord.

Whatever the reasons behind his latter-day conversion to the cause, we welcome it.

It is encouraging that a senior Labour politician, albeit one who has just been booted out of the Cabinet, recognises the merits of greater devolved power to the English regions.

Our region has little sentimental attachment to a centralised system which has compounded the North-South Divide and denied us the level of state assistance given to comparable needy causes, such as Scotland and Wales.

Scotland has its own Parliament; Wales has its own Assembly; and each has its own Secretary of State with a seat at the Cabinet table.

It is high time our region had the opportunity to have a more emphatic influence over its own destiny.

For every passionate supporter of North-East regional government citing the virtues of democracy, there is a passionate opponent citing the burden of yet another tier of bureaucracy.

The case for regional government is far from won. But, at least the opportunity of a referendum on the issue now looks a distinct possibility.

That means we will, at long last, have a meaningful debate on the issue. The worst that can happen is we arrive at a better deal for the North-East than we have at present.