New calls for dualling of A1

He questioned why the Government had not made money available to dual the A1 throughout Northumberland, and for improvements to the A69 which links Newcastle with Carlisle and the M6.

Lord Vinson said afterwards: "Magnificent roads and railways have been built in Spain, Portugal and Ireland, substantially with British money. It would be much better to spend the £8bn here at home. The A1 is a glaring missing link in the infrastructure supporting our regional economic prosperity.

"An investment in the road will be rewarded by the business growth it stimulates. It is absolutely lunacy that we pour money into Europe when we have got a third world infrastructure in this country.

"What other country of the world would have its A1 major trunk route not even dual carriageway? It is mind-blowing.

"The A69 between Newcastle and Carlisle is probably just as important.

"The thing about the A1, where it needs dualling, there are no issues of going through towns or conurbations, it would be a relatively easy part of road to dual.

"If you get roads right and infrastructure right, the economy follows."

In response, Lord Myners said transferring the money to the EU would have no impact on spending on Britain's infrastructure, but did not mention the A1. He added: "Our membership of the EU does put British interests first. It gives us direct access to a community of 490 million people.

"The EU accounts for 20% of world trade but 57% of Britain's trade. Some 3.5m jobs in Britain are directly attributable to our membership of the EU, as is the fact that we receive over 25%

Lord Vinson's was backed by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Conservatives' parliamentary candidate for Berwick.

Mrs Trevelyan is the founder and co-ordinator of the A1 Action Group, which is campaigning for the road to be dualled throughout Northumberland.

She said: "I am incensed by the amount of taxpayers' money due to go to the EU next year, when just a fraction of this sum would be enough to dual the A1.

"Lord Vinson is absolutely right that we must put our national interest first."

LORD VINSON

Nigel Vinson is a former businessman with strong connections across Northumberland.

Now 78, he was the son of a farmer and was educated at the Nautical College in Pangbourne. He served in the Queen's Royal Regiment from 1948 to 1950, reaching the rank of lieutenant.

He was director of the Sugar Board from 1968 to 1975, director of British Airports Authority from 1973 to 1980, and director of the Barclays Bank from 1982 to 1987. He is co-founder of the Centre for Policy Studies, for which he worked between 1974 and 1980. He was also chairman and deputy chairman of various firms and trust.

From 1976 to 1978 he was Honorary Director at the Queen's Silver Jubilee Appeal and was member of the Northumbrian National Parks and Countryside Committee between 1977 and 1987.

In 1985 he was made a life peer as Baron Vinson, of Roddam Dene in the County of Northumberland.

He has been married to Yvonne Collins since 1972; they have three daughters.