Tory leader David Cameron admits he's too posh to win votes in the North

Exclusive by Vincent Moss Political Editor, sundaymirror.co.uk 30/03/2008

David Cameron has given up on voters in the North to focus his election battle on winnable seats in the South.

The Tory leader's posh background is a big turn-off in Labour's heartlands, private polls by his own party reveal.

His inner circle have now drawn up a secret "core seat" strategy to snub voters in the North of England where the party holds just 19 councils and has 17 MPs. In Scotland it holds no councils and has just one MP.

A senior Tory source said: "David's team has decided it's simply not worth fighting a losing battle to win lots of seats in the North in the general and local elections.

"There may be a couple of visits by David, but he will be focusing his energies on seats in the South and Midlands where he is more popular. He can't even command support from some of our own people in places like Yorkshire where he's seen as a 'soft Southerner'."

The admission reflects the findings of a Sunday Mirror poll last year of Tory chairmen in the North.

It found 62 per cent believed Mr Cameron would cost the Tories the next general election - expected to be held in 2010. Many Tories in the region would prefer a more down-to-earth leader such as David Davis or former Party chief William Hague.

Both are Yorkshire MPs and will spearhead the Tories' limited campaign in the North in the absence of Mr Cameron during the local elections on May 1.

In contrast, Gordon Brown is targeting Labour's heartlands with a series of visits ahead of polling day which will be his first real electoral test since he became party leader last June.

An ally of the PM said: "There's been criticism from Labour MPs that Gordon hasn't done enough for the North and North West recently, especially since he scuppered plans for the super-casino in Manchester.

"He doesn't believe that view is true, but is determined to do something about it - particularly when it comes to closing the gap between rich and poor."

That divide is something church leaders are expressing concerns about. Bishop of Liverpool, Right Rev James Jones said: "It is the scale of poverty in the North and wealth in the South that marks the contrast."

TORY MPS BY REGION

Scotland 1 out of 59

Wales 4 out of 40

North West 7 out of 88

North East 10 out of 69

Midlands 53 out of 133

South East 95 out of 186

South West 23 out of 53

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