Research by the Centre for Cities has revealed a considerable north-south divide, with economic inactivity more prevalent up north, according to research unit Centre for Cities.
Unemployment figures are also three times higher than first thought, with the official rating unemployment at 3.7%, but this rises to 12.1% when ‘hidden’ unemployment is included. Middlesborough the most northerly Yorkshire town has an unemployment rate of 20.2%, which is about two and a half times more than the South East town of Reading in Berkshire.
Middlesbrough folk know this only too well as this town has suffered more than their share of hardship, which has seen the highest increase in child poverty in Britain in recent years.
The government is aware of all this but continues to pour funds into London and the South East. The second round of funding saw Yorkshire projects receive £120 million but those in London and the south-east awarded more than £210 million.
Yorkshire needs to send a message to the government, that there is only so far you can go before you say enough is enough. We need meaningful powers in our region. These powers and funding would need to be similar to Scotland. People who understand our region can take the responsibility from Westminster which has for generations failed us.