David Cameron’s comments before his speech in Leeds today show what he really thinks of us here in Yorkshire.

The comment, which came from the Prime Minister when he thought the microphones were off, was: “We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn’t realise they hate each other.”

Some may think it was just an off the cuff comment, but I think it reveals something deeply troubling about our Prime Minister’s attitude to over 5 million Britons.

Yorkshire has been hit hard by this government and has been consistently left behind by economic and social policy. Average incomes are way below the national average, child poverty is higher and GDP per head is lagging behind.

It is simply not acceptable that a Prime Minister who claims to believe in “one nation” can consign an entire region of this country to such derogatory remarks.

I have people coming into my office every week who are feeling the horrendous impact of this government. And I tell you something Mr Cameron, we don’t turn people away, we don’t hate each other or anyone else. We embrace people and we live by values of solidarity and compassion. We also like a good joke, but yours isn’t very funny.