Newly appointed conservative shadow cabinet member David Curry has slammed the government's regeneration policy for the north of England.
The MP for Skipton and Ripon, shadow minister for local and devolved government, was housing minister from 1993 to 1997.

He believes the nine market renewal pathfinders established by Prescott's Sustainable Communities plan don't do enough to tackle low demand and ailing economies.

He said: "We have got to see housing within a broader context of employment and economic development. The pathfinders seem competent but they are a piecemeal approach to a much wider problem.

"We will be tackling the government on this and other issues, and will be constantly checking their sums add up and their assumptions are correct."

Curry returns to the shadow cabinet as shadow minister for local and devolved government six years after he left following a row with William Hague, the then party leader.

John Hayes, MP for South Holland and the Deepings, will support Curry as housing spokesman.

Hayes said: "Our party has expressed concerns in the past at the large number of houses being built in South-east England. I shall continue to express those concerns."

However, both men echoed new leader Michael Howard's promise not to oppose the government for the sake of it.

Source

Housing Today