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City report 'insane' says Cameron City report 'insane' says Cameron
(40 minutes later)
David Cameron has described as "insane" a report by a right-leaning think tank, which suggested some cities in Northern England were "beyond revival".David Cameron has described as "insane" a report by a right-leaning think tank, which suggested some cities in Northern England were "beyond revival".
The Tory leader, who is on a two-day visit to target seats in the north west, said the Conservatives wanted to renew and regenerate northern cities.The Tory leader, who is on a two-day visit to target seats in the north west, said the Conservatives wanted to renew and regenerate northern cities.
The Policy Exchange report said coastal cities like Sunderland and Liverpool had "lost much of their raison d'etre".The Policy Exchange report said coastal cities like Sunderland and Liverpool had "lost much of their raison d'etre".
It prompted anger from areas it says are beyond hope of economic recovery.It prompted anger from areas it says are beyond hope of economic recovery.
The report suggested current regeneration policies were failing and mass migration to London, Cambridge and Oxford would stop people becoming "trapped" in poorer areas.
'Complete rubbish'
It said the largest coastal cities like Liverpool and Hull had built up for reasons that had since disappeared - like ship building.
"They have lost much of their raison d'etre and it is hard to imagine them prospering at their current sizes," it said.
Policy Exchange, a registered charity, has been described as Mr Cameron's favourite think tank.Policy Exchange, a registered charity, has been described as Mr Cameron's favourite think tank.
It was set up in 2002 by Nicholas Boles, until recently London Mayor Boris Johnson's chief of staff, and Michael Gove, now shadow education secretary, to generate new policy ideas on communities and individual freedom.
'Great cities'
But Mr Cameron, who will be keen to minimise any embarrassment as he tries to gain ground in traditional Labour heartlands, distanced himself from the organisation's findings on Wednesday.
"The authors of this report have themselves admitted it is barmy, it isn't, it is insane.
HAVE YOUR SAYNewcastle is lovely these days. London is hardly a model city. I'd sooner live in Liverpool any day of the week.Tony Harrison, SomersetSend us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYNewcastle is lovely these days. London is hardly a model city. I'd sooner live in Liverpool any day of the week.Tony Harrison, SomersetSend us your comments
"Regeneration of our northern cities has been a key Conservative theme over the past three years, and one of the first things I did as leader was to set up the Cities Taskforce to look in to how we can further renew and regenerate our great cities." But Mr Cameron, who will be keen to minimise any embarrassment as he tries to gain ground in traditional Labour heartlands, distanced himself from the organisation's findings on Wednesday, saying the report was "insane".
The Conservatives said the findings did not reflect party policy. Speaking on a visit to Carlisle, he said: "This report has got nothing to do with the Conservative Party, this is an independent think tank, it has charitable status, I think this report is complete rubbish."
"Conservative Party policy will continue the good work of regenerating cities right across England, including northern cities."
"When I think of urban regeneration and city regeneration I think of things like the Albert Dock in Liverpool, the canal work in Leeds, the SAGE centre in Gateshead.
"I think the idea that cities can't regenerate themselves, they were built for one purpose and can't do another purpose, is just nonsense."
'No faith'
But Labour minister Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, said the report was "exactly the sort of vindictive, anti-northern thinking that led to the widespread industrial decline of swathes of the north under Thatcher".But Labour minister Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, said the report was "exactly the sort of vindictive, anti-northern thinking that led to the widespread industrial decline of swathes of the north under Thatcher".
"Cameron can distance himself from this all he wants but he needs to explain why his friends have no faith in the North," she said."Cameron can distance himself from this all he wants but he needs to explain why his friends have no faith in the North," she said.
Capital of culture We should be talking up our city not doing it down Louise Ellman Labour MP, Liverpool Riverside class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7556937.stm">Northern cities 'beyond revival'
The government said it did not agree with the report's conclusions and said since 1997 cities like Liverpool and Newcastle had benefited from thousands of new jobs, lower crime and better living standards.The government said it did not agree with the report's conclusions and said since 1997 cities like Liverpool and Newcastle had benefited from thousands of new jobs, lower crime and better living standards.
And comments in the report that regeneration was "not possible" in some areas which had "little prospect of offering their residents the standard of living to which they aspire", has angered elected representatives in those areas. And the report has angered elected representatives in those areas singled out as being beyond economic recovery.
This report has been widely ridiculed from Darlington to Devon as plain stupid and wrong Warren BradleyLib Dem leader, Liverpool city council Northern cities 'beyond revival'
Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said the report had "dismissed a huge area of the country as worthless".Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said the report had "dismissed a huge area of the country as worthless".
"Liverpool is an excellent example of a city regenerating fast - with unemployment halved and increasing inward investment in the year we celebrate being European capital of culture, we should be talking up our city not doing it down.""Liverpool is an excellent example of a city regenerating fast - with unemployment halved and increasing inward investment in the year we celebrate being European capital of culture, we should be talking up our city not doing it down."
John Battle, Labour MP for Leeds West, added: "Instead of dreaming up ideas in London, David Cameron's ignorant chums at Policy Exchange should let me show them round Leeds - the city with the fastest growing economy in the country. John Battle, Labour MP for Leeds West, added: "Instead of dreaming up ideas in London, David Cameron's ignorant chums at Policy Exchange should let me show them round Leeds - the city with the fastest growing economy in the country."
"Instead they have just reverted to type by dismissing millions of hard-working people in the North." Meanwhile Warren Bradley, Lib Dem leader of Liverpool city council, said the city - the 2008 European Capital of Culture - was one of the UK's safest, tourism was booming and he said the report had been "widely ridiculed".
Meanwhile Warren Bradley, Lib Dem leader of Liverpool city council, said the city - the 2008 European Capital of Culture - was one of the UK's safest and tourism was booming. Policy Exchange was set up in 2002 by Nicholas Boles, until recently London Mayor Boris Johnson's chief of staff, and Michael Gove, now shadow education secretary, to generate new policy ideas on communities and individual freedom.
"This report has been widely ridiculed from Darlington to Devon as plain stupid and wrong. Its authors said it was likely to be dismissed as barmy. It's the only thing they got right."