Is the north-south divide inevitable, asks Beith

1.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 17th Sep 2007

Speaking at a fringe meeting 'Is the North South inevitable?' during the Liberal Democrat conference, MP for Berwick Upon Tweed Alan Beith will say:

"The North South divide wastes resources, wastes talent and adds to the enormous problem of congestion in the South East.

"It is in everyone's interests that Government policy promotes more economic activity in the North and gives young people in the North better opportunities to develop their abilities and careers within their own region.

"Scotland has demonstrated that with greater care and a better share of resources areas which have lost heavy industry can gain prosperity.

"The absurdity of the present situation is illustrated by the fact that the Government is telling the South East that more houses must be built on green field sites yet at the same time it is forbidding house building in parts of the North."