LABOUR’S North-East MEPs have called on ministers to get the best exit deal for Britain in the wake of this morning’s EU referendum result.

Jude Kirton-Darling said: “It is with great disappointment and sadness that I have learned that the United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union.

“I have fought long and hard for the rights of workers across Europe as a union representative and have continued that fight into the European Parliament.

“There’s been lots of anger on the doorstep about the future direction of this country and people are rightly concerned about housing, precarious work and the state of our public services. People must be listened to and I hope the Government listens now.

“I accept that this is the democratic mandate of the British people and I call upon those responsible for our leave negotiations to now produce the best deal possible.”

Her colleague Paul Brannen added: “This is not the result the Labour Party and the main trade unions were hoping for.

“We strongly believed that our place is within the Europe Union, working together with our neighbours for peace and prosperity.

“Many of the issues raised on the doorstep were the responsibility of the Conservative Government – not the European Union. The government needs to listen to the understandable anger within our communities and act on housing, unemployment and inequality.

“Too many people in the North-East feel that no one has been listening to them and this needs to change.

“I hope that those who negotiate our exit from the EU don’t forget the people of the North East but frankly I can’t see a bunch of Tories in London doing that.

“However I will continue to work hard for the region as we now face a difficult and uncertain future but we are a resilient region and together we will pull through”.