Callous cuts in North 'to please markets'

Professor Danny Dorling, from the University of Sheffield, singled out the cuts to local government budgets to accuse Ministers of acting unfairly.

"It's the North that's bearing the brunt because they think they must give the market the signal of being tough," he said. "They're saying they have the right type of politics the money markets like."

Prof Dorling said the cuts to council budgets this year were "just a bit callous" and said they did not share the pain, with councils in deprived areas losing more Government funding.

The geography professor was speaking before giving a lecture at yesterday's annual general meeting of Involve Yorkshire and Humber, the new name for the organisation leading the voluntary and community sector.

His claims – which echo criticism from Labour politicians – will be rejected by Ministers. Last week Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles told the Yorkshire Post that he had done all he could to protect the most deprived areas and accused critics of "using the poor as a battering ram".

Prof Dorling said that despite the tough times there were inexpensive measures which could improve the country, and called for a fresh economic approach. He claimed that cutting the pay of fat cat bosses – in line with calls to stop top managers earning more than 20 times the salary of a firm's lowest paid worker – would allow low pay to be raised.

Judy Robinson, director of Involve Yorkshire and Humber, said: "Strengthening the voluntary and community sector makes the region a great place to live and work, which in turn improves the economic and social well being of everyone."