TORY MP Nigel Evans has launched his own focus group -- the Ribble Valley 500.

He believes that this body and a similar one for young people will spice their views with East Lancashire common sense.

He is to consult with 500 households spread across the community regularly and mount a similar exercise with the area's youth.

The Ribble Valley MP said: "It is quite obvious that this government is getting things wrong such as farming, student fees, the break-up of the UK, rushing into the euro and the strong pound harming industry.

"The government has its own focus groups. They base their policies on these groups.

"These groups must live on Mars if they are suggesting the sorts of policies that this government is now projecting.

"I believe that focus groups from my Ribble Valley constituents will be far more common sense-based."

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