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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Conservatives eye northern votes | Conservatives eye northern votes |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has set up a group to boost support for the Conservatives in northern England, where the party's fortunes have dwindled in recent years. | David Cameron has set up a group to boost support for the Conservatives in northern England, where the party's fortunes have dwindled in recent years. |
| The Tory leader said they could not hope to form a government unless they represented people across Britain. | The Tory leader said they could not hope to form a government unless they represented people across Britain. |
| "In 1970 we won 62 seats in the North. Today we hold 19. We cannot turn this situation around overnight," he said. | "In 1970 we won 62 seats in the North. Today we hold 19. We cannot turn this situation around overnight," he said. |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, will head up the Northern Board. | Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, will head up the Northern Board. |
| The Conservatives have 19 MPs, six MEPs, 1,362 councillors and the control of 18 councils in the north of England. | The Conservatives have 19 MPs, six MEPs, 1,362 councillors and the control of 18 councils in the north of England. |
| Party chairman Francis Maude said support for the Conservatives in the North had been "flat-lining for too long." | Party chairman Francis Maude said support for the Conservatives in the North had been "flat-lining for too long." |
| The party says it will be the first time it has organised itself to ensure the region has a place at the heart of policy-making and campaigning. | The party says it will be the first time it has organised itself to ensure the region has a place at the heart of policy-making and campaigning. |
| Where the party died away somewhat at grass roots level in, say, the 1990s, then we lost the councillors and lost touch with people at a local level William Hague | Where the party died away somewhat at grass roots level in, say, the 1990s, then we lost the councillors and lost touch with people at a local level William Hague |
| "I think we've neglected our organisation actually over previous decades," Mr Hague told BBC Radio Five Live. | "I think we've neglected our organisation actually over previous decades," Mr Hague told BBC Radio Five Live. |
| "Where the party died away somewhat at grass roots level in, say, the 1990s, then we lost the councillors and lost touch with people at a local level and then it makes it harder to win the parliamentary seats". | "Where the party died away somewhat at grass roots level in, say, the 1990s, then we lost the councillors and lost touch with people at a local level and then it makes it harder to win the parliamentary seats". |
| He said the north was "by no means a desert" to the Tories, who are part of ruling coalitions on councils in Leeds and Bradford. | |
| Asked whether it was patronising to assume voters in the north had different priorities from those in the south, Yorkshire-born Mr Hague said: "I don't think I will ever be caught patronising anybody in the north of England." | Asked whether it was patronising to assume voters in the north had different priorities from those in the south, Yorkshire-born Mr Hague said: "I don't think I will ever be caught patronising anybody in the north of England." |
| But he claimed some problems were worse, saying both violent crime and council tax had gone up more in the north, while life expectancy was lower. | But he claimed some problems were worse, saying both violent crime and council tax had gone up more in the north, while life expectancy was lower. |
| "These are important issues that political parties have to tackle and I'm determined the Conservative party is going to do that." | "These are important issues that political parties have to tackle and I'm determined the Conservative party is going to do that." |
| Activists in the North-West, North-East and Yorkshire and the Humber will get "greater autonomy" in organising and campaigning. | Activists in the North-West, North-East and Yorkshire and the Humber will get "greater autonomy" in organising and campaigning. |
| As part of its role, the Northern Board will propose new ways of promoting the party regionally and locally, and support selected parliamentary candidates. | As part of its role, the Northern Board will propose new ways of promoting the party regionally and locally, and support selected parliamentary candidates. |