Is the UK too London-centric?

London makes 20% of the whole UK GDP but only as around 12.5% of the population and a much lower % of the land mass.

London is the UK's only real world class city

What can be done to revive the other areas of the UK?
Should anything be done to change it, if it risks harming London?

Reply 1

player19

8

Decentralisation and more power to the local constituencies. That includes that more many from the tax payers stays in their towns. Also, the gov should enrourage investitions in small places.

Germany is a good example when it comes about that topic. Although Berlin is the capital of Germany, it is not the most important city. Instead of one center where all the money gets and where the most importanr decissions are made, Germany has few such centers which are even more significant than the capital (notably that are Munich and Hamburg)

where's London?

OP

Original post by LordBradburn

where's London?

Loool

If you're not trolling/joking it's in the South East

Reply 4

Cmca1

Original post by a729

London makes 20% of the whole UK GDP but only as around 12.5% of the population and a much lower % of the land mass.

London is the UK's only real world class city

What can be done to revive the other areas of the UK?
Should anything be done to change it, if it risks harming London?

From the NI perspective? Yes.

We have a much more unfavourable corporate tax rate in the UK than the Republic of Ireland, an important NI trade partner but also a competitor for foreign direct investment.

Businesses investing in London can absorb the corporate tax rate better than they can in NI because London has all the infrastructure, a high concentration of other businesses, suppliers, consumers and talent. So on the issue of Corporation Tax, it suits London but doesn't suit the likes of Belfast and Derry in N.Ireland.

Instead, businesses are more likely to favour Dublin or Cork with more linked up motorways and railway services, a larger population and smaller corporate tax rate.

From a competitiveness perspective in terms of investment, NI is disadvantaged not just because it competes with the more developed regions of the UK, but also the rest of Ireland which has a more friendly tax system for businesses.

Corporation tax should be devolved to Stormont.

Reply 5

Rakas21

21

Yes the UK is too London centric but then it's not an overwhelmingly bad thing given that London has a GDP larger than Norway and is possibly the global capital.

I'd like to see greater devolution of policy and greater ability for regions to raise revenue themselves and compete.

Reply 6

Morgsie

7

Parliamentary Supremacy is the main reason.

Reply 7

a729

OP

16

Original post by Morgsie

Parliamentary Supremacy is the main reason.

That doesn't account for it really

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 8

MatureStudent36

5

Original post by a729

That doesn't account for it really

Posted from TSR Mobile

Its a bit more than that. Look at a map of Europe and mark off the most influential cities in Europe. There's a corridor that goes from London to Turin and captures Paris and western Germany. I know there's many, especially the SNP, who like to target London but a lot if its geography.

Interestingly though, I quite liked the should london be independent thread, where the Londoners all thought it would be selfish to try and do a runner.

Reply 9

a729

OP

16

Original post by MatureStudent36

Its a bit more than that. Look at a map of Europe and mark off the most influential cities in Europe. There's a corridor that goes from London to Turin and captures Paris and western Germany. I know there's many, especially the SNP, who like to target London but a lot if its geography.

Interestingly though, I quite liked the should london be independent thread, where the Londoners all thought it would be selfish to try and do a runner.

Looool well it's true geographical location helps a lot!

Well it's stuff like that that can lead to radical successful ideas and solutions!

Is the UK too London-centric?

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