THE Labour Party have now been in Government for a full week after a historic landslide win last week that saw them win almost every seat in the North East.

There have already been a number of key pledges and promises as the party looks to implement its manifesto. Sir Keir Starmer has also met with metro mayors from across the country, including the North East’s Kim McGuinness.

The Labour mayor had written to Sir Keir with a set of five commitments she wants the new administration to make for the North East – including the saving of the Hitachi train factory in Newton Aycliffe and the fast-tracking of her plans to take control over bus services. Ms McGuinness described the meeting as “very positive”.

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This week has also seen new MPs sworn into parliament, with a large number of North East MPs doing so for the first time.

Nationally, there was a marked departure from the previous Conservative Government made early on, with the announcement that the controversial Rwanda Plan had been scrapped.

Mr Starmer said he also hoped to recoup some of the £220 million already spent on the plan, although this looks unlikely.

Elsewhere, in a wide-ranging speech, new chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to bring back mandatory housing targets, as well as boosts to building on the green belt – something unlikely to go down well in rural areas such as Northumberland.

The chancellor also launched the new National Wealth Fund, which is aimed at delivering “transformative investments” across the country.

The previous Government’s “levelling up” agenda appears to have been dropped, however. The phrase has even been removed in the name of the government department headed by deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

It will revert to the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government, having been known as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities under the Tories.

In terms of the environment, Ed Miliband has repealed the ban on onshore wind farms – but the manifesto pledge to put a halt to new oil and gas licenses has yet to materialise.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced a review into the state of the NHS, while also meeting with striking doctors in a bid to end ongoing strike action. The BMA said they welcomed “positive talks” with the new minister.

Alan Milburn, Tony Blair’s former health secretary and a resident of Stocksfield in Northumberland, is also reported to have been brought back into the fold to bring about reforms to the health service.

Labour’s First Steps for Change – announced prior to the election – were: deliver economic stability; Cut NHS waiting times; Launch a new Border Security Command; Set up Great British Energy; Crack down on anti-social behaviour; and recruit 6,500 new teachers.

These were aimed at “making an immediate impact to people’s lives” – suggesting they will be the focus of the early weeks of Sir Keir’s Government.