You’re not one of us, Northern electors tell Cameron

DAVID Cameron’s bid to reach out to every corner of the country has suffered a blow after a poll found more than three-quarters of people in the north of England consider him out of touch.

The survey of more than 4,000 people taken immediately after his party conference speech on Wednesday found 76 per cent of those questioned in the North said the Prime Minister is “not in touch with the concerns of the country.”

In the South, the response was slightly better for Conservative leader, although most – 63 per cent – still thought him out of touch.

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In his well-received conference speech, the Prime Minister made a point of telling delegates his Conservative Party is “for everyone... North and South”, as he outlined plans to build an “aspiration nation.”

Dr Michelle Harrison, head of political affairs for researchers Kantar, said: “The public mood at the moment is focused on the impact of austerity and concerns about the economic future of the country. The public want the Government to focus, primarily, on economic growth.

“At a time when so many in society are experiencing a tightening of the purse strings, and for some, a real decline in living standards, it is not easy to make ‘aspiration’ a rallying cry.”

Meanwhile Labour leader Ed Miliband said he believes his “One Nation Labour”conference speech last week has “defined the battleground” for the 2015 general election, with Mr Cameron having felt compelled to rebut many points he had made.

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“I think what has happened is that Labour has now defined the battleground of the next election: who can build one nation?” Mr Miliband said. “And the fact that the Prime Minister was forced to respond to that is a sign that we have defined the terms of debate in this country.”

The Labour leader and Doncaster North MP, whose speech was praised for its tone but criticised for lacking substantial policy, promised he would spell out before the election exactly what his “One Nation” idea actually means in policy terms.