Cameron pledge to focus on the North

Jan 9 2009 by William Green, The Journal

CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron has pledged to respond to the North East’s needs if he becomes prime minister.

He told The Journal he would look favourably on upgrading the A1 and wanted to extend a planned new high-speed rail link to the North East.

But it was impossible to give any pledges because the Government had virtually “bankrupted” the country, claimed Mr Cameron ahead of a visit to the region today.

He accused Labour of ignoring the region. Gordon Brown failed to visit on his own regional tour this week, while the Government has concentrated on upgrading infrastructure elsewhere, he said.

But Mr Cameron claimed he was focusing on the region’s needs, adding: “The point is that you need to win in every part of the country. You will never find me missing anyone out. When it comes to standing up for the North East, the Conservative government that had some more Conservative MPs in the North East, those MPs would speak with a very strong voice.”

On upgrading the A1, he added: “We look extremely favourably upon it because we know what a pressure point it is.

“We have all sat on the Western Bypass at various times in our lives.”

He stressed he wanted Tory plans for a high-speed rail link from London to Manchester to extend to the North East.

But it was not possible to give any specific dates when work might be completed, insisted Mr Cameron.

He said it was now time for change after Labour had long taken the region for granted and failed to bother with its needs.

“You have had a Labour Government for 11 years. You had a Labour PM who was sat there with a North East seat. Did you get the dualling of the A1? No you didn’t.

“This Government has literally run out of money. They have virtually bankrupted the country. It is extraordinary the borrowing levels they have got to.

“So it is difficult to make promises, but if you stop wasting money on foolish things like ID cards, NHS computers and the rest of it, you would have more money on the things that matter.”