By Rachel Kerr BBC News Online

The results were announced in Sunderland

Middlesbrough Mayor and Yes campaign supporter Ray Mallon said politicians across the country must now "raise their game".

But he also said the result did not mean an end to promoting the North East's voice and interests.

More creative and imaginative solutions were needed, he said.

Mr Mallon said: "That's not just a vote against regional assemblies, that's a vote against something else.

"People are voting against politicians and this is a clear message to politicians of Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and every other type of politician, whether they are independents, you have got to raise your game."

The result was overwhelmingly against the asssembly

He added: "At the end of the day that vote, when you have 23 councils saying no with such a big voice, they are giving politicians a real message and the politicians better take notice."

He said he believed regional government was now "dead in the water".

But he added: "What I want is a North East of England that's harmonised. I don't want to see the Tees Valley, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland fighting one another.

"And if we get a harmonised North East, and there's other mechanisms we can use to get harmony, that will be good for the public, that's what the public want and then we can compete against the rest of the country much better."

Graham Robb, from the No Campaign, said: "It wasn't damning politicians across the board, it was saying that politicians have to work harder."

There are calls for different ways to promote the region's interests

He said the result was forcing politicians to think again and what was needed were "innovative, imaginative and successful" policies.

Vote Yes chairman John Tomaney said he believed if the referendum had been held at a different time, the result may have been different.

He said: "We are living in quite a different period now where there is a great deal of mistrust about the political system as a whole and I think that's definitely been a factor in producing this outcome."

He said be believed the issues the assembly was meant to address, like giving the region a strong voice and getting a fair deal would not go away.

Regional development agency One NorthEast chairman Margaret Fay said: "Without doubt, the assembly debate has put the region in the spotlight and we will be working to capitalise on this to continue to promote the North East, nationally and internationally."

A statement from The Electoral Commission said: "The Electoral Commission is pleased with the turnout at the North East referendum, which is higher than the 33% turnout at the London assembly elections and the 41% turnout at the European and local elections in the North East region this June."