The North- South divide and its current impact.

This topic is constantly argued and debated over its current relevance and whether it still poses as much of an issue as perhaps it has been in the past. However, it is a more complicated topic than it appears on the surface when you begin to read into it and not one that can be anywhere near fully explained in a blog post but when condensed I’m sure you can form an idea and make your own call about its relevance . There is not an exact line and not really a clear division where it cuts off and starts but with surveys, data collection, industries and stereotypes in general, a geographical split begins to form.

This socio-economic feature of the UK has been present since the nineteenth century and widened even further in the 1970s. The idea of the ‘North’ being Northern England, The Midlands, Wales and Scotland and ‘South’ being Southern England with a heavier focus on London and the East of England. This divide had originally come about because of the deindustrialisation that occurred massively in the North where traditional industries that had previously run through generations of families had seen a huge decline. It had key focuses on agriculture and farming of crops and animals, of course still a key business but less than it has been in the past due to increased competition from imported goods as globalisation became significantly more relevant, bringing cheaper goods to consumers. This turned the focus to tertiary, quaternary industries which progressively developed as time went on. Although this is the way arguably the issue had originated from is most definitely not the only reason it has developed and become debatably worse.

 

There is plenty more to talk about when it comes to the focus on industry. With a decline in traditional businesses such as agricultural farming, coal mining etc, workers saw their specified skills no longer necessarily required as it had been in previous year. When jobs became less available they turned to the tertiary sector (services and also focus on tourism) it provided income with little demand for new specific skills but financially did not replace the idea of the breadwinner as tended to be low wage and arguably very seasonal creating forms of unemployment in some specific months of the year. Quaternary jobs however where seen significantly less up North, they provide a higher income but demand highly skilled workers. Even now after a strong attempt to attract investment businesses tend to still base themselves down South.

Of course, depending on the category chosen for a valuation the results can always vary but the key indicators that tend to express the idea of disparities and inequalities all housing (availability and prices), access to services, healthcare, income and education. These factors fluctuate in terms of results but generally they all tend to be better/ stronger south. Factors such as political influence and the devolution of powers to local governments is also crucial but again complicated. The topic of devolution is one that could go on forever and whether you agree with the idea or not is another matter however the base line is people have argued little powers are devolved from London to more local regions to decide or have more control over there own matter. An example of this would be that London has a directly elected mayor with control over public transport whilst most northern cities have their policies decided by the UK government in Westminster.

The migration on flow of people is also said to have influence on the matter. Some economists claim that it is one of the main causes that provide such a defined split and also the emphasis of current disparities. The South provide a wider range and availability when it comes to opportunities for young professionals. The jobs also tend to provide a better income. The concept of the brain drain is seen here as the skilled workers tend to leave the North, basing themselves in an economy hub with thriving businesses. It is unlikely to see this in reverse. Although both areas provide strong Russell Group Universities, it tends to be the stage after this where they migrate to the South. Despite this some critics believe that because of the huge number of graduates now basing themselves in London the degrees value is becoming less and less as more people are attending university

The transport and infrastructure varies in the north and south. The major Road networks base themselves heavily in and around London however there are also focuses up North in Liverpool and Manchester. These links can be connected to the main airports which also based themselves in and around London also, as easy main road access makes commuting around the country significantly easier, cheaper and quicker. Now when it comes to train lines and railways the infrastructure within an area itself and connecting to other regions are two different matters. London has that underground which makes movement within the city a lot easier than facing the busy traffic, but most major cities have that own main form of transport also London’s tube is just more commonly known. London has 12 railway stations spread throughout the city, now in comparison to a northern city such as Liverpool who only have 4. It can be argued that this is purely down to the scale of the city, and the demand for train tickets. However, having a more varied access into a city can be a keyway to boost investment and attract more workers.

 

The clear divide in the North and South economies show the significant lag that is still attempting to catch up. In 2015 the Guardian released an article saying that the South recorded a 30% cumulative growth lead over the North and that a huge turn around was required to reduce the economic disparities. An improvement in the north’s economy whatever the rate may be will take a sustained period of time to balance the huge contrast.

 

Now with all this, it looks as though The UK faces a hard battle 2 begin the long journey to fix this issue. But right now, that all schemes taking place to big into combat this division. The main one is the northern powerhouse which was a proposal to boost economic growth in the North by the 2010 coalition government more specifically in the major cities like Hull Manchester Liverpool Leeds Sheffield and Newcastle .the aim was to take some of the focus on the British economy away from London and the South East. Key proposals were improvements in transport links investment in science and innovation and further devolution. Just one example of the transport links was the idea of HS2. It was a proposed infrastructure project to build a high-speed rail line from London to Manchester and Leeds via Birmingham- his connects some of the UK’s most crucial cities. One of the aims of this was to Begin to blur the North South divide line.

 

This idea could be spoken about for ages and actually does not only base itself within the UK as the idea of the North South divide also comes in relation to the world. Some critics argue that the geographical location itself is not the cause for this divide and there are other factors that prove more crucial, some critics argue that there is no division at all and some critics argue that the problem is becoming more and more significant as we choose to put off the matter. After some research and coverage in some of my lessons I do believe that did the division is present however I do think there are more pressing topics that should be resolved before and prove more of an issue.