Bucket and aid

Tourism is a vital part of the economy in this region and across the rest of the nation. It can provide stable growth for Britain and secure the future of some of our oldest towns and villages. So we should be making a lot more of it than we have been.

Years of drift under Labour mean Britain has slipped down the list in the international league table of travel and tourism, as David Cameron recognised yesterday. Now, when public money is tight, is the time to capitalise on our marvellous assets.

Yorkshire already has the resources with which to do this. From the gothic splendour of York Minster to the cultural scene in Sheffield, the spectacular East Riding coastline to the nightlife of Leeds, and many more attractions besides, this region should be at the heart of the country's drive to be one of the most-visited places in the world. The image of "cool Britannia" may have long gone but we should prove that Britain's greatness remains undimmed.