ANOTHER week, another rebirth of industry in the North-East. Tony Blair was in historic mode yesterday as he opened the new Filtronic factory in his constituency on the site of the failed Fujitsu plant in Newton Aycliffe.

''The Phoenix has risen from the ashes of what was here before,'' said our Tone.

Call me a doom-merchant, but you could argue the North does very well with phoenixes rising - it's keeping the damn things in the air that's been our perennial problem.

But in an upbeat Blairite spirit, let's wish Filtronic and its workers all the very best.

YESTERDAY'S factory-opening agenda for the PM had the morning Lobby briefing at Westminster in titters.

"He's opening the Senstronics factory in Aycliffe, and then opening the Filtronic factory also in Aycliffe,'' said the Downing Street spokesman.

''And then he's off for a gin and tronic!'' quipped a Lobby member.

Well, it sounded funny at the time.

THIS is a new one on me and a new one on David Curry, but here goes.

Labour this week started a rumour that the Skipton and Ripon Tory MP was secretly mounting a campaign to be the first directly-elected mayor of Leeds. The hare started running after David abstained on Tuesday on proposals to scrap the Section 28 ban on councils' promoting homosexuality.

''He's trying to beef up his liberal, 'inner-city' credentials,'' said a Labour source.

Sadly, Mr Curry kicked this one straight into touch. According to legislation setting up elected mayors, to be a candidate you'd have to be a Leeds resident.

He ain't, and I get the impression we needn't bother looking for the For Sale signs at his North Yorkshire home.

LAST week, I was wondering how Eurosceptic millionaire Paul Sykes could bring himself to voting Tory next time round notwithstanding his new-found affection for Mr Hague's anti-Euro stance.

Ripon-resident Mr Sykes is a constituent of, you've guessed it, Euro-fan David Curry who believes the Conservative policy on the single currency is... well, this a family newspaper.

I still don't know how Mr Sykes will get round the voting problem, but I do hear his application to rejoin the party has gone in... but not to the Skipton and Ripon constituency.

According to my source, the application will go to the neighbouring Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency party.

If so, Mr Curry will not be inconsolable.

SO JUST who leaked the confidential Treasury lawyers' document that fingered Mr Mallon for possible disciplining?

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) at first yesterday seemed totally unconcerned that a private document it had commissioned was conveniently leaked on the morning ''Robocop'' was to hold a press conference. Mallon had hoped to use the conference to revel in being newly-cleared from criminal proceedings, but instead it was sabotaged so that he had to discuss new disciplinary allegations against him.

Pestered by The Northern Echo, the CPS eventually said it didn't leak it - followed by a similar denial from the Police Complaints Commission.

The PCA statement came after authority chairman Molly Meacher advised Teesside residents who wanted Mallon reinstated to read the leak.

This is one of the situations where lawyers ask ''cui bono?'' or who benefits from the leak.

I've got my own theory, but I'd better not name names.

GORDON Brown may have chickened out on the euro at Commons Treasury questions this week when he fielded a junior minister to answer a tricky query.

But he was in fine Tory-thumping form when it came to the North-East economy and the fact there's only one Tory MP up here - Hexham's Peter Atkinson.

''Jobs are up in the North-East, vacancies are up in the North-East, investment is up in the North-East.

''All of which the Conservatives would find out if ever they were up in the North-East!,'' bellowed the Chancellor, followed by a triumphant grin up at the Press Gallery.