TWO of the region’s most senior politicians have clashed in Parliament over the prospect of elected mayors in cities like Newcastle.

Labour’s Jeremy Beecham and Liberal Democrat John Shipley locked horns in the House of Lords over Government moves that could transform the way the cities are run.

Both once led Newcastle City Council, but Lord Beecham is a front bench Labour spokesman and Lord Shipley is a Government adviser on cities.

And when it comes to elected mayors, they are on opposite sides of the debate.

Their clash came ahead of voters being asked in May in big English cities, including Newcastle, if they want to switch to a mayoral system.

If the answer is yes, elections will be held in November alongside those being held for elected police commissioners.

Lord Beecham tabled a motion signalling his regret over the Government’s decision to order 11 cities to hold referenda.

And he warned of substantial costs of holding the two votes at a time of austerity, saying the money could be better spent.

“I have not the slightest interest in being either an elected mayor or a police commissioner, no doubt to the great relief of many of the citizens of Newcastle,” added the peer.

He also said there was no evidence to support Government claims that elected mayors did a better job, unlike city leaders of previous decades.

“Distinguished local government figures such as Joseph Chamberlain and Herbert Morrison and, for all his faults, Newcastle’s own Dan Smith, created enormous change, not just in their own localities, but in the politics of local government generally.”

Lord Beecham questioned whether mayors were more visible and accountable, saying he was regularly recognised in the streets, 17 years after being leader of Newcastle council.

“We are faced with the cost of following a Government policy that is rooted in no evidence at all and apparently has no public support of any significance to achieve objectives that are very far from clear, unless there is a somewhat hidden political agenda,” said the peer who later withdrew his amendment.

He also claimed Tory MP Nick Boles had advocated the system as it was the only way to provide a ladder by which the Conservative Party might return to power in Newcastle or Manchester.

Lord Shipley claimed his Labour counterpart was “mistaken” in moving the amendment and dismissed Lord Beecham’s claim that the pair had discussed campaigning together against the idea of an elected mayor.

The debate had moved on, and the advantages of elected mayors included leadership and accountability, he said.

“Lord Beecham, is absolutely right that a year or two ago I felt that the balance of evidence was strongly against. I no longer believe that to be true,” he said.

The Lib Dem peer said elected police commissioners had changed the local situation and that as people got used to direct elections, it would be “very odd” if a council leader was not similarly elected.

He said a mayoral system would give that person a better electoral mandate, and there would be a cabinet and ward members implementing some of the planning powers of the Localism Act.

And while there would be costs, Lord Shipley said the referenda were taking place on local election polling day while any mayoral elections would happen alongside those for police commissioners.

The decision to have referenda should be honoured because it was part of the Localism Bill, which had been debated, and was in the coalition agreement, said Lord Shipley.

He said campaigns had also started and the clock could not be turned back.