Mr Miliband said Sunderland had "great potential" with "exciting" opportunities for electric car production, involvement in off-shore wind farms and a range possible roles in low-carbon manufacture.

The Doncaster MP was in Sunderland for the Labour North conference at the Quayside Exchange in Wylam Wharf, the East End, along with other senior Ministers and party bigwigs.

He shared the stage with former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, his brother – Foreign Secretary David Miliband, deputy leader Harriet Harman and regional Minister Nick Brown.

"I think Sunderland has great potential. I've been here before for different events and I think it's got a very, very positive future," said Mr Miliband.

"That doesn't happen by magic, it happens because you have a regional development agency (One North East) and Central Government fighting to make it happen."

The Climate Change and Energy Secretary said Labour wanted to boost manufacturing in the UK and said Wearside and the North East had a big role to play.

Some fear Sunderland may miss out on jobs and business from the off-shore wind farm industry, with the new £30million testing centre located at Blyth and plans to manufacture the turbines on the Tyne.

There is hope that turbine components may be manufactured in Sunderland and the Port of Sunderland could serve as a service hub and decomissioning site.

Mr Miliband shook his head at fears that Wearside could lose out to the Tyne.

"I'm sure the Port of Sunderland can play a role," he told the Echo. The port infrastructure in this country is very important for off-shore wind projects."

The Minister also highlighted Government support for Nissan Sunderland to win the bid to build the new electric Leaf car, with incentives coming next year to buy low-carbon vehicles and work to create an infrastructure for the product, such as installing plug points.

He accused the Tories of failing to make that commitment, and for lacking Labour's enthusiasm and support for manufacture.

He also slated the Conservatives' plans to scrap One North East (ONE), which he said would damage efforts to regenerate and bring new industries the region.

The Tories say they are in full support of electric cars. They say manufacturing is key to their plans for the North East, and have accused (ONE) of failing the region.

Mr Miliband said there was a "vast range" of possibilities for Sunderland and the North East in low-carbon manufacturing.

But he was luke warm on the idea of reopening coal mines in the city.
In recent years there has been much debate on the issue of "clean coal" power stations with carbon capture and storage used to prevent harmful emissions.

Mr Miliband said this was an "exciting area" which could create jobs, and there was a future for "indigenous coal mining" in the UK.

But he gave emphasis to existing coal mines and said some pits would be too difficult to reopen.