THE Labour Party hopes a new contract with a North-East IT firm will boost its election prospects. 

During the four-year contract, Gateshead-based Aspire will provide new computers for Labour’s two head offices in Westminster and Newcastle, as well as for its offices across the UK. 

“This is an important operational aspect of our build-up to the next election and the contract with Aspire is the right fit for the party. This is a contract of national significance and Aspire had UK-wide competition,” said Graham Stafford, the party’s head of procurement.

“Aspire worked hard to get to know our business and understand our culture and values. They were keen to work with Labour, and their ‘can do attitude’ fits well with the party’s ethos. They added value to our requirements and did not hijack the project for a quick return.”

“Working together with Aspire will ensure our staff have the technology they need as they campaign to be the next Government,” he added.

Tammi Woodward, IT manager for the Labour Party said:  “Nowadays, elections are very much digital campaigns so we need to have the right infrastructure and be able to react instantly to whatever is happening.  The right equipment and support services are absolutely essential to us.

Nigel Begg, the managing director of Aspire, said he was delighted to clinch the deal with Labour: “It was a contract we really wanted and worked hard to get. We’re an ambitious company and although we’ll always be proud of our North-East roots, we operate nationally.

“We are rapidly expanding across the region, but it’s vitally important to us that we remain nimble enough to respond quickly to the needs of our clients, and I think this, plus our attention to detail, helped us win this contract.”

Aspire is one of the region’s leading technology companies, specialising in hosted services, data centre solutions, communications and traditional IT support.

Earlier this year, it announced record growth for a sixth consecutive year and announced it planned to create more jobs in the coming months.

The firm saw turnover increase by 52 per cent in 2013 and is on target to achieve projected sales of £8m in 2014 representing equally strong growth.