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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Cameron caught making 'people in Yorkshire hate each other' jibe | Cameron caught making 'people in Yorkshire hate each other' jibe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron has been recorded apparently making a bizarre dig at people from Yorkshire, suggesting they hate each other as well as the rest of the country. | David Cameron has been recorded apparently making a bizarre dig at people from Yorkshire, suggesting they hate each other as well as the rest of the country. |
| The prime minister’s comment – which he has since said was a joke – was picked up by a microphone as he appeared to be rehearsing his lines while backstage at a speech in Leeds on Friday. | |
| On the recording, released by the BBC, he was discussing opportunities for devolution when an unidentified male voice says: “The fact is there will be some devolution coming to Yorkshire. But what form that takes ...” | On the recording, released by the BBC, he was discussing opportunities for devolution when an unidentified male voice says: “The fact is there will be some devolution coming to Yorkshire. But what form that takes ...” |
| Cameron quipped back: “We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn’t realise they hated each other so much.” After which, laughter can be heard. | Cameron quipped back: “We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn’t realise they hated each other so much.” After which, laughter can be heard. |
| Downing Street has not explained the comments, but he was defended by Andrew Percy, the Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, who said Cameron was not “slagging off” the region because it was true that local politicians are “fighting like cats in a sack over devolution”. | Downing Street has not explained the comments, but he was defended by Andrew Percy, the Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, who said Cameron was not “slagging off” the region because it was true that local politicians are “fighting like cats in a sack over devolution”. |
| Later, Cameron claimed the remark was “a total joke, but it’s been picked up and I expect I will be getting a bit of gyp for this”. He was later pictured alongside Yorkshire cricket club president and former umpire Dickie Bird and Geoffrey Boycott, the former England and Yorkshire opening batsman, watching England’s one-day international against Australia at Headingley. | Later, Cameron claimed the remark was “a total joke, but it’s been picked up and I expect I will be getting a bit of gyp for this”. He was later pictured alongside Yorkshire cricket club president and former umpire Dickie Bird and Geoffrey Boycott, the former England and Yorkshire opening batsman, watching England’s one-day international against Australia at Headingley. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special, the prime minister said: “I was picked up saying something this morning which wasn’t meant to be heard – there were five or six proposals for devolution in Yorkshire, and I said to an aide that I thought Yorkshiremen had it in for other people rather than each other, clearly as a joke. But I’ve been absolved by two of the greatest living Yorkshiremen – Geoffrey [Boycott] and Dickie Bird both agreed it was a joke.” | Speaking on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special, the prime minister said: “I was picked up saying something this morning which wasn’t meant to be heard – there were five or six proposals for devolution in Yorkshire, and I said to an aide that I thought Yorkshiremen had it in for other people rather than each other, clearly as a joke. But I’ve been absolved by two of the greatest living Yorkshiremen – Geoffrey [Boycott] and Dickie Bird both agreed it was a joke.” |
| Cameron’s comments are likely to have been a reference to the devolution deals offered by George Osborne’s “northern powerhouse” scheme. | Cameron’s comments are likely to have been a reference to the devolution deals offered by George Osborne’s “northern powerhouse” scheme. |
| The Leeds city region, which is bidding to join Manchester in getting new devolved powers, is controversial. A deal would also cover York and other parts of rural North Yorkshire, which have distinctly different regional identities to the West Yorkshire city. | The Leeds city region, which is bidding to join Manchester in getting new devolved powers, is controversial. A deal would also cover York and other parts of rural North Yorkshire, which have distinctly different regional identities to the West Yorkshire city. |
| This week, North Yorkshire county council put a spanner in the works of the bid, effectively refusing to allow towns under its remit to be part of the Leeds City Region. | This week, North Yorkshire county council put a spanner in the works of the bid, effectively refusing to allow towns under its remit to be part of the Leeds City Region. |
| Peter Box, leader of Wakefield council and chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said Cameron’s comment was a joke. | Peter Box, leader of Wakefield council and chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said Cameron’s comment was a joke. |
| Box, who is involved in the devolution bid from the Leeds City Region, said the joke stemmed from the high number of devolution bids entered from across Yorkshire. He said: “He was using the fact that there were so many bids from Yorkshire to try to make a joke.” | Box, who is involved in the devolution bid from the Leeds City Region, said the joke stemmed from the high number of devolution bids entered from across Yorkshire. He said: “He was using the fact that there were so many bids from Yorkshire to try to make a joke.” |
| “There is rivalry between Yorkshire. There’s always been rivalry. The reason I found it quite amusing is there’s some truth in it. We’re quite tribal, we’re competitive within Yorkshire, let alone with the rest of the country.” he added. | “There is rivalry between Yorkshire. There’s always been rivalry. The reason I found it quite amusing is there’s some truth in it. We’re quite tribal, we’re competitive within Yorkshire, let alone with the rest of the country.” he added. |
| He continued: “I’m a Yorkshireman, I’m proud of being from Yorkshire, I think we’re the best county in the world, but I’m not going to criticise David Cameron over what was meant to be a joke.” | He continued: “I’m a Yorkshireman, I’m proud of being from Yorkshire, I think we’re the best county in the world, but I’m not going to criticise David Cameron over what was meant to be a joke.” |