MEMBERS of the cabinet, headed by prime minister David Cameron, are understood to be planning to meet in Suffolk within the next few weeks.

Cabinet meetings have taken place in regional centres for the last four years.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown introduced the move when he took over from Tony Blair in 2007 and the practice was continued by Mr Cameron after the coalition government was formed nearly 18 months ago.

Mr Cameron has chaired cabinet meetings in Manchester, Birmingham, and Harrogate in Yorkshire before ministers have then gone out on a series of regional visits.

The date and location of the cabinet meeting has not yet been confirmed – it is likely to only become known at the last minute for security reasons.

But it is understood that it is likely to take place within the next few weeks – certainly well before the end of the year.

East Anglia is seen as a happy hunting ground for the coalition. All the region's MPs are from coalition parties apart from two Labour members in Luton.

However there are a number of marginal seats – like Ipswich and Waveney – where Labour is active and trying to build up support.

And the coalition is keen to provide support for the large number of new MPs in the region – five of the seven Suffolk MPs were new to the House of Commons in 2010.

There are also few ministers from the region – partly because so many of MPs from East Anglia are relatively new to Westminster.