A new chapter for the North East

Hello and welcome to my new page on the BBC News website.

Looks pretty good, doesn't it?

This is the new home of my online thoughts, but it's also much more than that.

As well as analysis of the current political news in the North East and Cumbria, you'll find some of my reports from Look North, local radio and the Politics Show, and updates on what I'm up to (just so my family knows, I think).

If you're a veteran of my Moss Missives, you'll know what to expect.

But for Moss virgins, I'll be trying to deliver some pithy and hopefully informative insights into the politics of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside, County Durham, Teesside, and North Yorkshire.

Whether it's what our MPs are up to in Westminster, or what our councils are doing to us locally, I'll aim to be across it.

And of course, we're at a crucial point as it's just days now until voters go to the polls for the local elections and the Alternative Vote referendum.

Oh yes, and please feel free to leave your comments. I read all of them, even if I only agree with the ones that are nice about me.

Onwards and upwards.