The Darlington and Stockton Times | News, Sport, Business, North Yorkshire, County Durham

Tories launch campaign in North

From the archive, first published Friday 19th Jan 2007.

The Conservative Party today launched a campaign group to connect with voters in Northern England.

Party leader David Cameron denied it was an act of desperation after disappointing results in elections and said the Tories were determined to be a strong voice in the North East and a strong voice for the North East.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague will be chairman of the Northern Board, which has been formed to tackle the partys under performance in the region.

Mr Cameron said: " Today is the best chance in a generation for the Conservative Party to govern in every part of the country.

"We can make strong progress right across the country."

He said the party had made great progress but not in every part of the North East and added the Tories were determined to take every part of the country with us.

Mr Cameron pointed to successes in Sunderland and said: If we can succeed there we should be able to succeed in other places such as Newcastle.

He said the formation of the Northern Board showed that the Conservatives were determined to be a strong voice in the North of England and a strong voice for the North of England.

Activists in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humber will be granted more freedom in organising and campaigning.

Speaking at the launch outside Leeds Civic Hall today, Mr Hague, MP for Richmond, North Yorkshire, said: " We didn't advance as much in the north as we did in the south, so the Northern Board is part of our answer to that, its only part of our answer.

"We're picking up increased support but it's a slower process in the north and therefore deserves increased attention.

"Where we have been successful we can learn from those successes and try to repeat them in other parts of the north.

"The Conservative Party nationally is forced to be as conscientious as possible of the problems and issues in the north of England."

He agreed that the Conservative Party had always had a struggle in that area.

"Throughout history its been an uphill battle for the Conservatives but we have some strong areas of support as well."

Mr Hague added: " This is not a quick fix, but a long term commitment to re-engage with the people of the north. There will be a huge amount of hard work ahead of us, which is why we are resourced and organised for the long term."

A Conservative Party spokesman said it was the first time the party had organised itself to ensure the north has a special place at the heart of the policymaking and campaigning in the party.