NIGEL Evans, Ribble Valley MP and vice chairman of the Conservative party, has slammed the Prime Minister for failing to recognise the UK's North-South divide.

He was speaking in response to a report by the International Poverty Research Centre at Bristol University, which concluded that the North-South divide of health and wealth was at its worst since records began.

Mr Evans said: "It is clear that Tony Blair's policies, such as fuel taxes and their lack of commitment for the manufacturing industry, have deprived parts of Britain furthest away from markets in the South East and Europe of competitive advantage."

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