Ken Livingstone has thrown his weight behind the campaign to establish a North East regional assembly.

The London mayor spoke in Newcastle on Monday where he had joined "yes" campaigners in the run up to the region's referendum.

He told critics who say the body will be too weak that he had similar fears about devolution in the Capital but they had proved unfounded.

"When I first saw the powers that were on offer for devolved London government I did not think I was going to stand for the mayor of London because its powers were too limited," Livingstone said.

"Originally the mayor and assembly had £2.5 billion to spend.

"However, every year since, more and more powers and spending have been devolved to London. I now have around £9 billion to spend each year."

Livingstone, who was readmitted to the Labour Party earlier this year, said he had been able to introduce free travel for under-18s and other popular measures.

"To all the people in the North East who have still not made up their minds I say this: No one in London would abolish the mayor of London and the assembly.

"They may want to get rid of me and have a Liberal Democrat or Conservative mayor but they like the idea of devolved government."

Chancellor's cash

In another development, Gordon Brown pledged that if an assembly in the North East was established it would control £1 billion worth of public spending.

The chancellor said that the body would help tackle the north/south divide and boost the region's economy.

Thought to be initially lukewarm about the idea, Brown is now actively backing the "yes" campaign.

"With economic stability, new investment and the right kind of regional policy the North East can become more competitive, productive and prosperous as we close regional divides across the country," he said.

"Take jobs. If the rates of unemployment in the region were the same level as in the South East, there would be 20,000 fewer people out of work.

"If the North East had the same number of business as the South East, it would have over 85,000 more businesses."

Brown was speaking in Sunderland and urged the North East's nearly two million electors to vote to establish the first English devolved body outside London.

A "no" vote would be a major setback to Labour's plans for regional

English assemblies, particularly after referendums in the North West and Yorkshire and Humberside were postponed.