There are areas of deprivation in the ‘affluent South’ too

I AM extremely pleased that many locations in the North have received Enterprise Zone status, including the Humber Waterside scheme. Much deserved, and a great opportunity for those communities.

My constituency too has been awarded an Enterprise Zone, categorised by your article as the affluent South (Yorkshire Post, August 17).

As the Member of Parliament for the most south-easterly constituency, I can confidently assure your readers that the stereotype put forward is just not the case.

Thanet is far more deprived than the majority of northern council districts. Our local district was ranked in the bottom 30 in Britain, with deprivation levels that are the equivalent of Darlington’s.

There are areas of deprivation – and yes of wealth – in both the North and the South and it is the policy of this Government to target support effectively and specifically to those communities who need help.

So I do hope that your readers will understand that the challenges we face are more nuanced than merely simplifying our economic challenges through catchy but inaccurate descriptions such as the poor North and rolling rich South.

With the introduction of Enterprise Zones and new and exciting companies being actively encouraged to grow and expand by this Government, I am very hopeful that both the North and South will be able to benefit.

I know that my very hard pressed community in the South East is extremely welcome of the support that was so absent under the previous Labour government.

From: Ian Gill, Great Ouseburn.

NO doubt, like many others, I was completely overwhelmed by the Prime Minister’s insistence that the high speed rail link would heal the North-South divide (Yorkshire Post, August 19).

Well done sir! Unfortunately, it would appear that one of his advisers forgot to tell David Cameron that the link to Leeds is not expected to be completed until 2032-33 at best, should it ever be built at all.

If this region has to wait over 20 years for some major government stimulation to growth, then perhaps we should all just throw the towel in now.