Angel of the North election stunt as climate activists project 'Vote Jamie' onto iconic artwork

A group of climate activists has claimed responsibility for projecting an election message backing one of the candidates for North East mayor across the Angel of the North.

Members of the Green New Deal Rising campaign illuminated the iconic sculpture with the words 'JAMIE DRISCOLL FOR MAYOR’ and ‘VOTE JAMIE - MAY 2ND', in support of the independent candidate. Mr Driscoll, currently the North of Tyne mayor, is one of six names in the frame for the larger mayoral job at next week’s historic election – alongside Tory Guy Renner-Thompson, Labour’s Kim McGuinness, Lib Dem Aidan King, the Green Party’s Andrew Gray and Reform UK’s Paul Donaghy.

Gateshead Council has confirmed it was not asked for and did not grant permission for what Green New Deal Rising described as a “guerrilla show of support” for Mr Driscoll.

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The stunt, which happened at 10pm on Tuesday, is not the first time the Angel has been taken over for political or advertising purposes. Artist Sir Antony Gormley is famously protective of his creation, having previously complained after the Vote Leave campaign projected an anti-EU message on it in the run-up to the Brexit referendum and when Morrisons displayed a giant baguette on the internationally-renowned attraction.

Molly May Shelton, a spokesperson for Green New Deal Rising, said: “We took action to draw attention to Jamie Driscoll’s campaign because we believe that he has the answers the North East needs to play a part in tackling the climate emergency and to solve the cost of living crisis.

“As young people, we want some pretty simple things for all people: warm homes we can afford to live in, decent jobs, and a liveable future we can look forward to. But throughout our lives we’ve been let down by governments and politicians who have put profits over the needs of ordinary people, and we’ve been left behind.”

Mr Driscoll is standing as an independent after quitting Labour last year, having been blocked from standing against Ms McGuinness in a selection contest for the party’s mayoral nomination, and has confidently predicted he can cause an upset in next week’s election. Reacting to the Angel stunt on X, Mr Driscoll said Green New Deal Rising “do great work engaging young people, highlighting important issues and holding politicians to account” and that he was “grateful for their ongoing support”.

Gateshead Council confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that it did not agree to the projection.

A spokesperson added: “We work closely with Antony Gormley’s studio on any potentially contentious activity around the Angel of the North. We do not grant permission for commercial / sales activity to utilise the artwork, or any messaging or activity which might affect the artistic integrity of the piece.”

Sir Antony’s office declined to comment when contacted by the LDRS. Other stunts involving the Angel of the North have included when Newcastle United fans draped it in a kit bearing the famous number nine of striker Alan Shearer before the 1998 FA Cup final and when a group of pranksters place a Santa hat on the Angel’s head at Christmas 2018.