The Tories and the North

There is growing anger across the North following the publication of a controversial paper by right-wing Think Tank closely linked to the Tories. Policy Exchange, which has been referred to as David Cameron’s “Favourite Think Tank” has called on a future Conservative government to stop the regeneration of Northern Cities and Towns in the North and instead put the money into London and the South East.

The report also states that residents should be encouraged to move to the South East of England to make a new life.

The Report singles out Sunderland for particular comment saying that “it is not somewhere that outsiders consider a desirable place to live” and “it is time to stop pretending that there is a bright future for Sunderland.”

Policy Exchange has a number of close links to the Conservative Party and David Cameron. Its founders are Michael Gove, the Tories’ Education spokesperson and Nicholas Bowles, the Chief of Staff to Boris Johnson, the Tory Mayor of London. Andrew Browne, the Think Tank’s Director has also recently joined Johnson’s staff.

The Report also states that a future Tory Cabinet, more representative of the wealthy suburbs, would seek to re-allocate money from regeneration of our cities.

Earlier this year, a senior Tory MP first revealed their true feelings about the North. During an interview with ePolitix, Shadow Health Minister Mike Penning said that the Tory party should concentrate on their own marginal seats and not constituencies in the North and the "Celtic Fringe"

This goes to show that despite David Cameron's shallow salesmanship on the Tory's commitment to the North, they are still the party that allowed the decimation of the North's economy and communities during the 80s and 90s. They still simply don't understand the North or its people.

Labour is proud of the North. Over the last 11 years, the Labour Government has worked hard to regenerate our historic and proud cities and towns. Areas like the quayside in Newcastle and Gateshead have been transformed with major new attractions such as the Sage, Baltic and the Millennium Bridge. In Middlesbrough, massive investment has been made to revitalise the town including the groundbreaking Middlesbrough Institute for Modern Art. And in Sunderland, thousands of high quality jobs have been secured with Nissan and the City has new landmark features such as the Botanical Gardens and the National Glass Centre.