Sir Keir Starmer called for more to be done regarding the "awful" mass die-offs on the North East coastline.

The Labour leader criticised the Government concerning its handling of the crustacean deaths while visiting The Anenexe Community Centre in Hartlepool today (April 3).

He said the issues which affects fishermen in Saltburn, Hartlepool and across the North East coast were awful and he believed the Government "has really let them down."

Adding to this, he pointed to Conservatives having "no real answer" concerning the phenomena, and investigations "that haven't really led anywhere."

Read more: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in Hartlepool ahead of local elections

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Speaking on the issue, he said: "This is a massive, awful problem that confronts local fishing communities, and I think the government's really let them down.

"They haven't got a grip, they've got no real answer to what they're going to do about this, they've had investigations that haven't really led anywhere.

"Meanwhile, there's this awful situation that's hugely impacting on local communities and on fishing communities.

"I think the government hasn't done enough, it hasn't got a grip, I would like to see government ministers having the courage to sit down with the fishing communities most impacted by this, and rolling up their sleeves, saying what they'll do and get on with it.

"I suspect I don't just speak for the Labour party, but I suspect I speak for all of the communities impacted by it."

Read more: LIVE: Huge emergency service response on Elwick Road in Hartlepool

Speaking on the topic of the die-offs affecting fishermen, Ms Cooper called on Environment Secretary, Thérèse Coffey, to engage with the fishing community and talk to them "about what needs to be done." 

A report earlier this year was unable to find a single cause for the mass wash-ups. Four main factors were considered by the panel, a possible disease, a harmful algal bloom, toxic chemicals including pyridine, and dredging – but all were ruled out as a clear single cause.

Sir Keir's intervention came as he visited the North East alongside Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, to discuss the issue of antisocial behaviour in Hartlepool, and speak with residents on their experiences with it.

He also added that Labour plans to deliver "fundamental change" to voters and put "power and resource" into the hands of communities

"What we want to deliver to voters is fundamental change.

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"I think most people now, if asked the question, 'are things better now than they were 13 years ago when the Conservatives came into power?

"Most people would say 'no, my NHS isn't better, my local hospital isn't better, our schools aren't better, our streets aren't safer, my living standard haven't gone up,' and therefore I think there's a strong desire for change," he added.

In this meeting, the Labour leader promised his government would put more neighbourhood police on the streets to help curb this type of behaviour.