The end is nigh - Moss Missives 2010 review - part six
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a cat in a festive hat.
The year is almost over, and so we reach the thrilling denouement of the Moss Missives 2010 review of northern politics.
It's been a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns, packed with action and the odd inappropriate picture.
So with a flourish and a Christmas kitten, it's time to plunge into November and December.
Snow joke. Wintry weather causes mayhem in November and December.
A campaign begins for the remutualisation of Northern Rock. Supporters argue restoring it to a building society is the best way of protecting jobs and benefiting customers, but the Government insists the nationalised bank will be sold off.
The High Court decides that Communities Secretary Eric Pickles acted illegally by scrapping regional spatial strategies and their housing targets. Therefore, they come back into force, but only until Mr Pickles can scrap them again.
Anger grows at the Church of England's plans to sell the 12 paintings by Spanish artist Zurbaran which currently hang in Auckland Castle. The Church may also decide to sell the Bishop of Durham's historic residence.
A year on from the West Cumbrian floods, Labour MPs criticise the Coalition's decision to cut the budget for flood defences during a Commons debate called by Workington MP Tony Cunningham.
The Transport Secretary Philip Hammond faces flak for failing to invest in the North East's road network during a visit to Tyneside. His delay is blamed half-jokingly on congestion on the A19 - a road the Government says it can't afford to upgrade significantly until 2015.
Schools in County Durham criticise government plans to end school sports partnerships. They say the decision is short-sighted in the run-up to the London Olympics, and with high rates of childhood obesity.
North East MEP Martin Callanan flying the flag for the Conservatives in Europe.
North East MEP Martin Callanan becomes leader of the Conservative group in the European Parliament just as some Tories express unhappiness at the Government's bail-out of Ireland.
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron is elected as President of the Lib Dems promising to make sure the party retains its identity.
The Government announces plans to invest in the railway network, but delays a decision on whether to invest in the new trains that could bring 800 jobs to Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. It says it's looking at a rival bid. Hitachi, which is behind the County Durham plans, says it is disappointed.
A Durham University report estimates that government cuts will lead to 50,000 job losses in the North East and cost £1.8bn in lost economic growth. 20,000 of those job losses are predicted to be in the private sector.
Amazingly snow falls in winter. It is an unusually large amount and lasts for an unusually long time, but it causes the usual chaos on the roads.
It's fair to say that Eric Pickles was not the flavour of the month amongst northern councils in December.
Ever-helpful Eric Pickles says councils should dig into their reserves to help soften the blow of cuts. Councils such as Hambleton, Stockton and Allerdale seem to carry significant surpluses, but others like Northumberland have already dug deep into theirs.
Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon accuses the Government of a "financial declaration of war" against the North East because of unfair council cuts. He says they take no account of poverty and unemployment in the region.
When the cuts are announced, it emerges that northern councils have generally fared worse than their southern counterparts. Middlesbrough, South Tyneside, Hartlepool, Barrow and Copeland are amongst the hardest hit. Cumbria County Council, which looked to have done reasonably well, accuses Mr Pickles of using figures which have misled the public. They say their cut is much higher than listed.
Durham County Council announces it will be cutting £100m and 1,600 jobs.
The Government also announces plans for people power with communities given the chance to run council services and take over buildings. Newcastle will also get a vote on having a directly-elected mayor in 2012.
Students march through Newcastle to protest against the rise in tuition fees.
Protests take place in Newcastle and Carlisle as MPs vote on plans to raise university tuition fees to £9,000. Lib Dems Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) and Ian Swales (Redcar) keep their pre-election pledge to rebel and vote against a rise in fees. But Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith votes in favour and helps the proposal pass through the Commons.
Former North Tyneside MP Stephen Byers loses his Commons pass for two years for offering to use his influence for payment in the "Cab for Hire" Channel 4 documentary.
The Government confirms it will close magistrates courts in Bishop Auckland, Tynedale, Gosforth, Guisborough, Alnwick, Blaydon, Houghton-le-Spring, Whitehaven and Penrith despite opposition from Coalition MPs such as Guy Opperman (Hexham), Sir Alan Beith (Berwick) and Rory Stewart (Penrith and the Border).
But there's at least as the Government decides it will extend the funding for them into next year.
So that's that for 2010.
I'll be back on New Year's Day with a look ahead to the political prospects for 2011.
But I'll take this opportunity to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.
I'm Richard Moss, the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s Political Editor for the North East and Cumbria. Welcome to my irreverent - but hopefully insightful - northern take on reporting politics for Look North and the Politics Show.
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