Category: Politics

​​The future of one of Whitby’s “most enjoyed landmarks”, the Whale Bone Arch overlooking Whitby Abbey, is facing issues including the logistics of sourcing and transporting replacement bones from North America, as well as ethical questions. ​The issue of replacing the deteriorating bones – first installed some time after 1853, and last replaced in 2002…

Lord Mandelson, who was MP for Hartlepool between 1992 and 2004, issued the apology for remaining friends with the paedophile financier after his conviction. It comes after he declined to apologise to victims of Epstein in his first major broadcast interview since he was sacked as ambassador to the USA in 2025. When he spoke…

Adderstone Living has applied for planning permission to build 32 homes on the site of the empty Thornaby Sports and Leisure Club on Tedder Avenue, Thornaby. It proposes one to four-bedroom homes on the site of the 1919-founded ‘Nash’ club, described as in a state of disrepair since the closure of the club in September…

Durham County Council has announced its intention to increase bills to help balance its budget. Council tax has increased by 4.99 per cent, the maximum allowed without a referendum, in recent years.  Deputy leader of the Reform UK administration Darren Grimes said “difficult decisions” will need to be made, but is confident the local authority…

Development work on the Leamside Line, which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, is set to progress as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) initiative.  As well as allowing for new train services through Ferryhill, Sincliffe, Belmont, West Rainton and Penshaw, the route could also provide an alternative path for…

Sarah Jayan, 16, a student at Ripon Grammar School, is standing as a candidate for the West area of North Yorkshire. Sarah said: “It was inspiring to see how people our age stood up for themselves, united in the same belief, and made me realise the significant lack of youth voices in this country.” Voting…

There is plenty to look back on positively, and lots achieved that I am proud of. There was the announcement at the budget that the two-child benefit cap is to be lifted next year. This alone will lift nearly 500,000 children out of poverty. As I said at the time, if this Labour Government should…

2026 is the year Britain turns a corner. And in North Durham and across the North East, we’re going to do it together. When North Durham residents put their trust in me by electing me as their local MP at the General Election, I promised to help deliver the change our country had been crying…

Stacey Hunter, chief executive of the University Hospitals Tees (UHT) group, which covers both North and South Tees NHS Foundation Trusts, said they had to work in a different way to live within their means as the government expects. She said: “We do know because of the level of savings required, which is well publicised…

The Labour and Liberal Democrat administration in charge of Darlington Borough Council has come under fire from rival politicians after plans to increase council tax by around 5% were revealed.  Council leaders said the proposed council tax increase of 2.99%, plus a social care precept of 2% will help fund rising demands in adult and…