You are here: Home » Comment »

North-South Divide Widens – is it time for a North of England Assembly?

February 11, 2012 1:02 pm

Author:

Tags:

Share this Article

A report published this week by the Local Data Company on the number of empty shops on our high streets highlights further the North-South divide, as well the dire economic situation many small and medium sized businesses are in. The highest number of shuttered shops was counted in Stockport where more than 30% are now empty, according to the study of 700 British town centres. The shopping parades of the South and West fared best with Taunton, Salisbury and St Albans enjoying a vacancy rate of less than 9%. The most vibrant centre was Cambridge with a rate of just 6.4% vacant shops.

It’s clear that the long-term future for the traditional high-street store model is going to be a difficult one, as more shoppers turn to the internet and out-of-town supermarkets for convenience and often cheaper goods. But why is the North faring so much worse than the South?

Reports from high street retailers before Christmas were warning that a gap is once again opening up between London/the South-East and the rest of the country. Fewer shoppers were hitting the streets outside the Home Counties and those who did were spending less.

As a Northerner I’ve always been aware of the North-South divide. Perhaps it’s one of those things Northerners pass onto their infants at an early age so we never remember learning it. Although just because I don’t remember learning it, doesn’t mean there haven’t been moments in my life I haven’t been acutely aware of it. Culturally it hit me like a ton of bricks when I went to university, and later when I moved to London came the real nasty shock. How much for a pint of beer?!

PricewaterhouseCoopers in their regional household financial stress index in November highlighted that Britain’s north-south divide had widened since the start of the recession and was likely to worsen – households in the North-East and Yorkshire were and are amongst the hardest hit by rising unemployment and falling house prices.

So in The Observer last Sunday I was delighted to see a group of Labour MPs calling for devolution of powers to the North. At a time when Northerners are losing their jobs four times the rate of the rest of the country we should be doing all we can to stand up for ourselves. I would fully support and elected assembly for the North of England having seen the way a Labour administration in Wales can stand up for the Welsh people against the Conservative-led Westminster government – that’s exactly what I want for us too. So as Scotland debates further devolution or independence let’s not forget about the North of England’s increasing political marginalisation – we have the skills, resources and talent to have our own elected assembly too. Then maybe we can start closing this divide.

Cat Smith was Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate in Wyre and Preston North at the 2010 General Election

  • Anonymous

    With all due respect London is your Assembly and since London still can Affect Wales and our Assembly.

     I can tell you now unless you have  total powers Assemblies are another expensive job creation another lots of bureaucratic well paid  people who basically can do little.

    Wales does not want Police Commissioners yet we have no choice after our lords and master said yes you will, and that just more cost for Wales we do not need or want.

    SO unless Assemblies have power to change tax or  what ever it just people looking for work getting well paid jobs sitting on back sides doing little.

    Did you not get asked once before about an Assembly did the people not say no, and I suspect you already have the most powerful means of job creation it’s called local councils

    • Anonymous

      Indeed the answr was no, for the reasons mentioned in your post. In fact it would have had even less powers than the welsh assembly from what I can remember.

    • AnthonyT

      Anyone else just scroll past every time they see a treborc post?

      • http://twitter.com/gonzozzz dave stone

        No, I think he’s always worth taking notice of.

  • jaime taurosangastre candelas

    Unless a North of England Assembly has some powers, it can do nothing except consume resources, and point to real problems that may or may not be acted upon by London.

    Other regions would want the same, and there is also the “danger” that those other regions would want money raised in the region to be spent on their region, not transferred elsewhere.  I live in the east of England which is a net contributor to the national finances.  There is a reason Cambridge is so vibrant – money flows about.  That to me is not a reason for being satisfied with Cambridge (although it is nice to take the family there at a weekend, choice of restaurants and entertainment, good amenities, clean and bustling streets, museums and galleries – all around a nice place to be), but rather to wonder why we cannot have this everywhere?

    Personally, I’m comfortable with the North receiving money raised in the east of England (I spent some happy years in Darlington, and like the North), but I think I may be in a local minority.  It would be normal for people in other net contributing regions to feel that “their” money should be spent locally (I have some knowledge of the South West, who generally feel no affinity to the North).

    On a national scale, if you devolve many things to the regions, then the nation is diminished in capacity to act nationally, and the regard in which other nations and the markets hold us as a nation diminishes.

    On balance, I fully support “regional perspectives”, and things like the RDAs (which I think are either terminated or about to be?).  I think it is right for money to be transferred from richer to poorer regions – redistribution.  Public policy should look to supporting poorer regions, perhaps with Government investment or strategic planning.

    But be careful what you wish for.  The logic of your argument is the North standing on its own, little or not funded at all by other regions, and our nation being diminshed.  I cannot see that as a good outcome for the North, or any of us.

    If the North ever had the amount of devolution Scotland has now, it would be a desperately poor place, and anyone with any wit and qualifications would leave.

    • derek

      Yeah! but regional control would allow the North to compete with the South, centralised governments tends to favour a larger distribution to the South, take the Olympic games? all things applied to them, seem to be based in the London area, surely any such legacy should be spread to less affluent areas? I think areas like Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle would meet the criteria to hold such events like the European football championship.

      • jaime taurosangastre candelas

        8 of the 12 stadia for the Rugby World Cup in 2015 are in the North, the Midlands and in Wales.

        Look at the national finances.  London, the East of England and the South West are net contributors per head.  The East and West Midlands, the North West and North East are net recipients.

        55% of the English population live in London, the South West and East of England.  45% of the English population live in the four regions to the north of a line from the Wash to Bristol.  The 4 regions of the north and the Midlands contribute 38% of English GDP, compared with the 3 southern regions contributing 62%.

        I like the fact that net money goes from the south to the north.  It keeps us together – barely – as a nation.  Some like GuyM are in danger of a myocardial infarction at the thought of that.  But, if the North were to devolve, much of that money would stop flowing.  And how will that help the North?

        • derek

          But why does 55% of the English population congest itself within the South? surely it’s unhealthy to have the South alone contributing such a large proportion of the GDP? I’m all in favour of the distribution of wealth but I’d rather see it more reflective in terms of jobs? we consistently see higher levels of unemployment in the North. 

          • Anonymous

            ‘But why does 55% of the English population congest itself within the South’

            Ermm – because it wants to?

          • derek

            Ha? because it wants to? uniformed opinion, Jeez! snobbery is alive and well. Gee Gee! trot on……. 

    • Anonymous

      We need an ENGLISH Parliament to deal with English problems. It is because England is in union with Scotland that the north suffers and is ignored.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=715486331 Alex Otley

         I don’t know how you worked that one out. An English parliament would still favour London/the South most likely. Personally I reckon there should be devolved regional assemblies but difficult to justify on cost/efficiency grounds.

        • Anonymous

          We send too much money to Scotland via the Barnett Formula, increase power of local councils to promote regional identity and culture.

  • Anonymous

    Last time the voters were asked about this sort of thing it was rejected by 77% of them’

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2004/nov/05/regionalgovernment.politics

    • derek

      Your failing to recognise that the gap between the North and South is widening.

      I’m no dietician but those in the South are more likely to afford a balanced healthy diet than those in the North and in some cases those in the South will have an excessive habit of overly eating red meats, leading to  podagra and those in the North are more likely to contract an issue like rickets due to the lack of calcium and other daily food products.

      • Anonymous

        We need an ENGLISH Parliament to deal with English problems. It is because England is in union with Scotland that the north suffers.

        • derek

          Some may argue that the English have has an English parliament for well over 300 years, that favours the South and makes bad decisions for those in the North?

          • Anonymous

            What total and utter bullshit. Have you ever heard of the West Lothian Question. And which party brought in tuition fees in England – anti-English Labour did.

            Devolution was Labour’s biggest mistake ever.

          • derek

            Take the Scottish vote out over tuition fees and the bill would still have passed? I’m afraid your knowledge of the true West lothian question is pretty much in line with the question posed an enigma?

          • Anonymous

            You are lying Left Wing pratt – get you f**ing facts right you stupid anti-English tw**t

            Look at the facts

            http://www.thecep.org.uk

            It was Scottish Labour votes tat caused tuition fees to be passed. You can never reason with a lefty can you.

          • derek

            LoL! Little brave boy blue?

            I don’t very much 59 Scottish MP’s are responsible for the English education system nor the 9,000 pound tuition fees. hey go and check out the voting?

          • Anonymous

            Derek

            I am no Tory. Are you happy that Scottish Welsh and N Irish MPs can vote on English (devolved) issues but not the other way round?

            It seems to me you are.

            Only an independent English Parliament together with stronger County Councils will solve the North-South divide.

          • derek

            Are you happy IDS can cause so much harm to the Welsh and Scottish? are you happy that West minister can send Scottish , Welsh and N.Irish young soldiers to the death in illegal wars. I guess your just a big mouth with a chip on your shoulder? the EDL has no place on this site….pissssss off!    

          • Anonymous

            They are in the UK you stupid f**cking TW*T

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=583460972 Gareth Owen

            Such wit, such charm. I can see why you win all the arguments you have on the net.

          • Anonymous

            Who started the illegal wars – it was LABOUR you fools

          • Anonymous

            I hope the anti-English Labour party dies and is NEVER EVER returned to power. BTW I hate the Tories too, but your party is worse than scum. Die Labour die and wither away just like the Scottish Tories did.

            I will leave you in piece so you can bathe in your anglophobia

          • Anonymous

            Thank you Francis. Bye bye.

            Why don’t you ask the nice nurse to give you your evening medication?

          • Anonymous

            Youcantake youdailydose of anglophobia andI will leave youinpeace

          • Anonymous

            You have not answer my question have you because you know you are WRONG

          • Anonymous

            So it’s racist if you disagree with a leftie is it?

          • derek

            Yes!

          • Anonymous

            Soderek what isitlike being a superior leftie?

          • http://www.forengland.org Wyrdtimes

            It’s the institution that’s the problem. The UK parliament works in the UK interest. This involves funding the Scots, Welsh and northern Irish at higher per person, per year levels than the English – with all the knock on effects of that.

            The English deserve a parliament that works in the English interest and that spends English taxes on England. I’m with the 36% (BBC ComRes 2011) of English who want independence for England.

            A figure that’s rising all the time.

          • derek

            Wyrdtimes, That’s your choice, I  condone it but I’d challenge the notion that Scotland is in receipt of more than it’s collective share?

            I think the problem with Englishness, is it’s tendency to go much further than just a financial argument? and that could have devastating consequences?   

          • Anonymous

            Spot on

          • Anonymous

            Spot on

          • Anonymous

            If  I were you, Francis, I’d ask for a refund from the charm school you attended.

          • Anonymous

            You are all deluded anglophobic self loathing lefties. The sooner Scotland votes for independence the better as it will make Labour’s chances much more difficult.

            Didn’t Labour once say ‘Devolution will kill the nationalists stone dead’? Dream on lefties, dream on.

          • Anonymous

            Francis – seriously do you think you are going to convert anyone to your cause by insulting them?

            If you reread what you have written, when you are more in possession of yourself, you will see you come over as an arrogant ignoramous at best, and frankly a bit unhinged at worst.

            You are obviously angry, but you could try to put your point of view without resorting to personal abuse.

          • Anonymous

            It takes two to tango, so it’s not just me, you lefties always think you are above everyone else. Good bye.

          • Anonymous

            yep

      • Anonymous

        I’m not failing to recognise anything – I’m just saying that the last time those pesky voters were asked – they gave a resounding no.

        You are indeed no dietician – rickets is caused by a number of things, mainly vitamin D deficiency from not enough sunlight (where might that be)

        • derek

          Pesky voters? my my more negative ranting from the racketeering geedeeo.I think think I did mention deficiency syndrome? (calcium deficiency) never mind G-Guy! your time will come?

          • Anonymous

            The point about pesky voters, as you well know, is that when asked, they said no. Politicians don’t like this so continue to promote their own nonsense.

            Nope – no mention of vitamin D – but yes you mentioned calcium deficiency.

            ‘My time will come’ – is that a threat of some kind?

          • derek

            Not a threat? more of an awakening call? a sudden bolt of realism shall pass through those grey matters.

  • Dave Postles

    I shall be taking a brief break up North very shortly, in the NW, to visit some of those fabulous industrial museums which replicate the wealth which the North developed for this country through the Industrial Revolution (if not for its people, but let’s not revisit the ‘standard of living debate’ in the Industrial Revolution).  The major industrial innovations happened in the North and in the West Midlands (in the West Midlands, I include, for heuristic reasons only, the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site in Derbyshire).  The North and the West Midlands largely produced the modern world.   

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Green/100001198122160 Chris Green

    The divide is caused by politians and not people, if the English people were not discriminated against by Labour in the act of (discrimination) devolution there would not be this problem. England would as a whole be enjoying a national pride of her acheivement, that’s up to know been denighed by anti English prejudiced politians who are not voted by our people, This kind of racism was meant to be illegal? A Full dedicated English Parlaiment will ensure that England will be able to move on and up without foreign interfearance from Scotland, Ireland and Wales. It will be treated as equals and funded as equals. We have lost much all over England due to England not having her own parliament and taken for a ride by the devovled nations.  A Full dedicated English Parliament now!!!

  • penninepower

    Time the north was given a voice and could set its own priorities.

    Some posters (let’s face it, southern posters) like to think the north is overly reliant on the public sector for no reason than laziness. Fact is, our economic policies are not a level playing field. They are geared towards financial services to the detrement of manufacturing – creating an increasingly imbalanced economy that deepens the north-south divide.

    The poster below who attacks us as anti-english is clearly a moron. We are english, many very proud of that too – but what you’re trying to tell us is that we aren’t allowed to recognise our northern identity or highlight the growing gap that is hanging so many of us out to dry. You’re a fucking disgrace. If you cared one bit for this country you’d be trying to seriously address the problem not trying to scapegoat the scots.

    Southern fairy…

    • Anonymous

      The poster below refers to politicians as anti English. Not northerners.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall

    The problem is that although some people in Southern England may think there is a “North” that is not really true.

    The North is not a country with a clear identity in the way Scotland is.

    Although the Pennines are a very minor geological formation, Yorkshire has a different culture from the Cheshire/Lancashire side.  The North-East is another country yet again.

    And even with Lancs/Cheshire, the econmic/social/cultural contacts between Liverpool and Manchester are perhaps not stronger than the links each area has with Greater London.

    In short, this idea is a non-starter.

    • Anonymous

       Spot on Paul.

  • Anonymous

    There is a North/South divide in London now – with the South coming off worst:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16997367 

    I am willing to be corrected by surely Lambeth is a Labour run council?. They are obviously supporters of Liam Byrne

  • Anonymous

    North-south divide may have some truth but Labour’s mission should be to reduce that divide rather than create institutions that grow the divide. If you get down to the brass tacks and got people from similar economic backgrounds together from the north and south I’m pretty sure you’d find that most of their issues were similar. The North’s problems revolve around the fact that the country chose a path which favoured those industries/sectors which were concentrated around London leaving the north and midlands with huge employment issues. They could not transform themselves since they could not attract the ‘new economy’ away from its estuarian heartlands in sufficient quantities to sustain a parity in job creation/income etc. London is the most significant factor and as a capital concentrates much income as a result of its being a capital of all of the UK, this is one reason why a redistribution is fair. The south west never having the same kind of industrialisation and urbanisation has faired better.

    the solution to the imbalance is in concentrating on improving transport links especially linking the east and west coastlines and the major centres across the North and Midlands (rather than continue to focus on links to London). This would allow these centres to work together economically and act as a real counterweight to London. Trying to support industries requiring top end engineering, and skilled technical people based in these locations would be well supported by the population (and if done quickly enough their remains a residual skilled workforce) The cheaper house prices and potential quality of life compared to what could be acquired with a similar income in and around London, would attract these kinds of workers. The finance/media/comms kind of workers will never be attracted from the pull of London, so trying to relocate head offices or big cultural organsiations and major offices rarely succeeds for this reason.

     If we had high speed links between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield and even the North East, you would be able to take advantage of the combined assets of many of these locations. As it is the rail connection between Liverpool and Manchester is pretty hopeless and that is barely 30 miles. It often feels like a divide and rule policy is in place trying to keep the regional centres from forming a strong opposition to London centric policay making. Every so often they have to bid against each other to get a chunk of investment leading to them viewing each other as competitors rather than partners.

  • Anonymous

    Stockport’s problems are not caused by being in the North but by a combination of specific socio economic factors in the make up of the borough, the proximity of Manchester and the inept town planning of a number of years. Combined with a lib dem led council, who’s councillors seats are around the edge of the centre, and thus have limited interest in the town centre itself and it all starts to make sense.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1314041131 Fungus Addams

    More drivel from the left of centre. 

    Sure there are some areas of prosperity in the South, but there are pockets of wealth in  the North also. Likewise there are areas of poverty and high unemployment in the southern counties of  England that are as bad as those in the North. I happen to live in one of them. I confess many of our recently closed shops in my high street have sprung back into life, as pawnbrokers, 99p and £1 stores, a gaming arcade, tattoo studios, estate agents and charity shops; and this of course means that they are not closed, but are viable, ongoing concerns that are enriching our wealthy southern community and showering us with prosperity. Trust me, the vibrancy of this centre of commercial activity is both depressing and underwhelming beyond measure.
    If Labour care so much about the North of England and it’s people then I must confess that  I find myself puzzled as to why they spent so much of their time in power marginalising and ignoring them,  wondering why Labour failed to invest in their heartlands, and as to why they opened the floodgates to mass immigration into those communities. At no point did the kleptocrats of New Labour or it’s apologists ever seem to give a toss about it’s traditional supporters, who seemed to lack the progressive vision of their betters for a new all inclusive, multi ethnic and multi cultural Britain. Unless, of course, you happened to be white, working class and English. There was never any place within this vision for such as us, whether we came from North or South. We were expected to put up, pay up and shut up.Only now, as Scotland prepares for devolution and English nationalism is starting to coalesce and find it’s voice does Labour and it’s lickspittle lackeys suddenly feel the need to try to resurrect their idiotic idea of breaking England into regional assemblies that will pander to ill conceived resentment amongst some northern socialists, help make England a less powerful figure in any future federal UK, and meet with the plans of the EUssr for the removal of England from the map of the EU. I now will sit back and await the usual tirade of foul mouthed abuse and accusations of  being a racist, BNP supporter, member of the EDL or bitter little Englander that seem to form the stock reply from those out on the left wing when others choose not to share their vision or opinions

    • Anonymous

      Not from me mate I think you are right.

  • Anonymous

    FYI
    Distance (crow flies) between Manchester Liverpool = 51 kms
     
    London is 5 times further away from Manchester.
     
    Train between Manchester and Liverpool takes 50 mins
    Train between Manchester and London takes 2 hours 15 mins
     
    about 2 and a half times longer to go 5 times further!
     
    Aimilar inequalities exist on links betweens northen cities, unless they happen to be linked by a London direct line.

  • Dave Postles

    So I ordered my notebook to my specification from PCSpecialist of Holmfirth, constructed to my specification online.  They e-mailed me when they started the build; they e-mailed when it was built; they e-mailed me to inform me that they were starting testing; they e-mailed me with the delivery date; one the eve of the delivery date, they e-mailed me with a one-hour delivery slot (9.20 to 10.20 on the pre-arranged delivery day); it was delivered at 9.30 on the delivery day.  I just wish that I could place a really big order with them. 

  • Anonymous

    As someone who voted in the NE referendum – the campaign was a shambles, and with a Tory government IMHO that referendum would pass today…

  • http://www.forengland.org Wyrdtimes

    England is divided all right. London and the rest of England.

    What England needs is its own parliament back. Preferably somewhere in the midlands.

  • derek

    Well, there’s no surprise that those born and bread in an area choice to life their life’s out in that area, so I’m pleased you support the campaign not to evict Londoners from their homes.

    I think the issue of regional governance is more to do with creating jobs and prosperity, on a level pegging, no area should have the right to proclaim affluence over an other.

  • derek

    Yes! I take your point that in the Euro 96 campaign some games were played outside of London but the semi- finals and finals were located in London.As far as the perspective 2014 world cup bid went, London would have been the dominant arena for those games and that was an issue why the world cup bid failed, it wasn’t see to create a legacy in new stadia in poorer areas. I believe the Russian Euro bid has created the opportunity to build new stadiums in quite a few areas of that vast nation.

  • derek

    Shaun, talk is talk, facts and figures are pertinent points. So it’s no surprise that I doubt your point? without any evidence, it’s just a rant. Sorry! but hard truth is needed. 

  • derek

    Geoff, I don’t agree with tuition fees.

    Look, the house is made up of several other MP’s , liberals and conservatives, who also voted for tuition fees. Now, if you look at the recent hike in tuition fees you’ll see a real divide, not many on the left supported those rises?

    Geoff, student entry numbers are down, it’s a shocking indictment for a supposedly forward thinking nation, tuition fees have the potential to close many establishments unless we find a better way to fund further education.

    • Anonymous

      The only reason we in England have an Education Tax is because nonaccountable MPs from Scotland and Wales carried the vote.

    • Anonymous

      The only reason we in England have an Education Tax is because nonaccountable MPs from Scotland and Wales carried the vote.

    • Anonymous

      ‘Student entry numbers are down.’  Not according to UCAS. Application numbers are down but the number of accepts are broadly the same. For example at Warwick Uni they have had 6 applicants per place this year compared to 7 per place last year.

  • Anonymous

    100% lets the rest have full powers to rule themselves within the Union

  • Anonymous

    But of course they can be massively costly as we are finding out in Wales, they for what very reason tend to become bubbles within society, and the AM’s become not the spokesperson for the people but for themselves, they also pay them selves a hell of a lot of money the average wage in Wales is £14,000,/£22,000 yet an AM  gets the same pay as an MP with the same expenses.

    It’s just another layer within the UK, because unless the Assembly has power and total power it’s  just another layer of council, or an arm if you like of London

  • Anonymous

     London has 73 MP’s. Of these 37 are Labour and 7 Lib Dem. There are
    28 Tory MP’s. So London is not exactly Tory dominated. With an English
    Parliament elected by PR there is no reason to suppose that the Tories
    would be dominant. There are also plenty of Tory voters in the North of
    England as this map shows:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/
    It is also interesting to note that Labour has very little support in
    the North of Scotland. If a North of England Assembly is appropriate for
    England then surely the same argument
    applies to Scotland? Why not get rid of the Scottish Parliament and set
    up a North of Scotland RA and a South of Scotland RA. The same also
    applies to Wales. Get rid of the Welsh Assembly and set up a North Wales
    Assembly and a South Wales Assembly.

  • derek

    But isn’t it the crux of the argument? that if we have an unbalanced society, we will always be rubbing against the grain the wrong way?

    Why on earth aren’t we advocating a living salary of around £26,000 per ann? why aren’t we allowing regional areas to address their own fuel need and power? why don’t we build more council homes? it’s a bit silly to allow people to be caught up in a mortgage trap if their earnings are in the £35,000 a year bracket,why hasn’t this country been constantly renewing it’s rail infrastructure?, I’m not creating a bucket list here? I trying to ask the questions WHY? and HOW we can improve because for the last 40 years or so we seem to be no further on and in a backward position now?

  • derek

    I don’t blame London it’s self for football hooliganism but stacking so many fans into London could have been a nightmare to police correctly.

    Wembley is a stunning stadium, it’s the home of the FA cup and home to the national side. It’s where England were crowned world champions in 1966 and it’s where Baxter tamed that winning side in 1967 (never forget Alan Ball crying because Baxter took the mickey out of him LoL) but the heart of English football comes from the North as do the best players and best fans and I don’t think there’s anything written in stone that would stop the North from holding a major sporting event.

  • http://thecornishrepublican.blogspot.com/ cornubian

    A North of England Assembly? What about the Cornish Assembly we asked New Labour for? We handed Tony Blair a petition of 50,000 signatures calling for a Cornish Assembly and he chucked them in the bin! 
    http://mebyonkernow.blogspot.com/2012/02/peter-hain-and-labour-ten-years-late.html 

  • Anonymous

    Are British Labour MP’s not also concerned about the North South divide in Wales? Shouldn’t they be calling for a North Wales Assembly?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11513689

     

Latest

  • Comment Housing upheaval can be traced back to Thatcher

    Housing upheaval can be traced back to Thatcher

    By Chris Williamson

    If further evidence was needed that the Government is destroying our communities then it came by the bucket load with proposals to relocate hundreds of housing benefit claimants. Councils across London desperately searched for a solution to the housing benefit cap that made it impossible for some of the capital’s poorest residents to stay in their homes. First we heard of plans to move residents to Darlington, Stoke, Hull and parts of Yorkshire. But the revelation that Westminster Council planned [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured The austerity consensus has collapsed

    The austerity consensus has collapsed

    By Owen Jones

    There is no alternative: the only way out of Britain’s current economic plight is massive cuts to public spending. Taxes on the wealthiest must be slashed: they are blocks on aspiration and economically counterproductive. Austerity is the only game in town. Or so we have been told ever since the Coalition was formed in the rose gardens of Number 10 Downing Street. The overwhelming majority of the media has gladly reinforced the Government line, and those voices calling for an [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment Should Labour go further on football reform?

    Should Labour go further on football reform?

    By Ben Shave

    “As a party, Labour should take great pride in the fact that we initiated Supporters Direct, but now is the time to go further.” These sentiments, expressed in a recent article for Progress by Steve Rotheram MP, hark back to a time where the landscape was somewhat different for the Labour party, but similar in many ways to that faced by football supporters in 2012. The Football Taskforce was established soon after Labour came to power in 1997, with the [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment Making Labour Policy: Who calls the tune?

    Making Labour Policy: Who calls the tune?

    By Ann Black

    Excellent election results and rising polls have brought a mood of unity and created space and time for serious work on policy. Francois Hollande’s victory shows that austerity is not the only option, and Labour must start to develop an alternative agenda, rejecting the Tory politics of resentment and division in favour of policies which are fair, principled and credible: on housing, crime, transport, health, schools, higher education, manufacturing, tax, defence, social care, equality, employment rights and the environment. We [...]

    Read more →
  • News It’s the budget what won it…

    It’s the budget what won it…

    Why did Labour win the 2010 local elections so convincingly? It’s the budget right? This graph of polling from TNS BMRB certainly suggests that. Labour’s slim lead extends rapidly following the budget (highlighted) – and current stands at 12 points (42/30). And as for why Labour did better in 2012 compared to the 2011 elections – just compare May and May 2012. A year is a long time in politics…

    Read more →