The Northern Echo has landed an online scoop by getting former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson to launch an Internet initiative.

New media editor Sarah Andrews persuaded Mr Mandelson to launch 'The Interview-e' and put himself foward to tackle questions from that most demanding of audiences - the general public.

At www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk, readers can send their questions by e-mail to Mr Mandelson and he will provide his answers at the end of the week.

During the launch at The Northern Echo's head office in Darlington, he admitted that this was the first time he had ever taken part in a "virtual interview" and gave Sarah his reasons.

He said:"I think that often the media act as a filter between the public and politicians and the more direct access and dialogue the better.

"For somebody who doesn't hide his opinions and likes communicating but often feels that the media can act as a filter, I wanted to allow people to put their questions directly to me and for me to answer them in my own way."

Northern Echo editor Peter Barron said: "We are delighted to be able to offer our readers this chance to take their questions direct to well-known people and who better to launch it than the MP everyone wants to interview.

"The Internet has made this sort of communication possible and I hope that, over the coming months, many more high-profile people will take this opportunity to face the public direct."

During the launch, Mr Mandelson also admitted that he doesn't often use e-mail himself but mainly because letters go through his office.

"I don't use e-mail a lot. Having been a minister, you are locked into rather conventional ways of working," he said and told how he had spent months asking civil servants to arrange Internet access at his desk while Northern Ireland secretary.