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Covid has deepened the inequalities between the north and south, study finds
‘This is an urgent wake up call’
A thinktank has warned, in an ‘urgent wake-up call’ to Boris Johnson that there are deepening inequalities between the north and south of England with little sign of the governments ‘levelling up’ agenda becoming a reality.
The government’s ‘levelling up’ policy lacks any plans a year after the election and following months of further widening between the north and south.
The ‘State of the North’ report, which is released annually, has pointed out gaps in wages, productivity and health between the region.
Covid has also had an ‘uneven impact across England’ says the research was done by thinktank IPPR. Extra restrictions have hit places such as Greater Manchester since the first lockdown, ‘creating new regional inequalities and deepening old ones’.
The pandemic ‘has powerfully demonstrated the weaknesses and cost’ of dictating too much from London and underlined the ‘reluctance of the centre to cede control’.
The research claims that a year after the general election, the ‘levelling up’ agenda is still ‘most striking for its lack of detail’. However, the Treasury has denied such claims.
The annual assessment says, many people in the North âalready live in a low-wage economy, which is not delivering good outcomes in income, health, or routes out of povertyâ.
People in the north west are paid 80p less an hour than the English average but there are also few job opportunities per person across north England when compared to the country as a hole.
Before Covid hit, most northern areas had healthy life expectancies below the English average with 60% of them seeing a decline in that measure for women in the past decade.
By October, unemployment in the north has hit its highest point since 1994, particularly impacted places such as Blackpool, Hull and Middlesborough.
The report points out the fundamental connection between health and wealth explaining that ‘if the northern economy is to work for people, it needs to support good health in the northern population’.
It goes onto explain that long-term inequalities within England have been thrown ‘into a stark spotlight’ following Covid-19. Adding that any recovery that âsimply restores the old orderâ would be âunsustainable and – for many – unacceptableâ.
Covid-19 has also created new regional divides and deepened old ones.
The report states: “Parts of the north of England have seen especially high rates of infection and have been subject to more severe âlocal lockdownâ measures than many other parts of the country.”
Speaking on the ‘levelling up’, something it describes as one of the ‘latest in a long history of initiatives’ that is ‘most striking for its lack of detail on how rebalancing is to be achieved’.
It continues: “Some attempts to deal with Englandâs regional divides can seem highly politicised, designed with an eye to electoral outcomes, particularly in marginal seats,
“Successive governments have been keen to be seen to take action and to claim credit for any change.
“This has created an unhealthy situation where efforts to tackle regional inequalities and implement devolution have been constrained by an overly controlling hand in Westminster. Covid-19 has powerfully demonstrated the weaknesses and cost of this approach and the reluctance of the centre to cede control to elected leaders in combined and local authorities.”
The report goes onto explain the deep inadequacies in the UK’s centralised system of government, in particular for dealing with a crisis like Covid-19.
“The establishment of a highly centralised and outsourced system of âtrack and traceâ, which has repeatedly failed to deliver, has been a prime example of where Whitehall has overlooked local expertise and capacity,” it says. It also criticises the loss of a minister devoted to the Northern Powerhouse.
Sarah Longlands, director of IPPR North, said the government âwas elected on a promise to level up places like the Northâ.
“But one year on, they donât have a plan to reduce inequalities between and within regions in England, and the inadequate, centrally controlled, competitive âlevelling up fundâ announced in the spending review simply wonât cut it.
“Our regional divides are severe and growing, we face a climate emergency, and Brexit is just around the corner, so a recovery from Covid-19 that simply restores the status-quo – which has failed so many Northerners – would be unacceptable.
“We need to challenge old, reductive assumptions about our economy because theyâve failed to create the conditions for a good life for everyone in the North.
“In particular, we have to stop assuming that the centre knows best and commit once and for all to a clear programme of regional devolution in England. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past.
“If we are to build a better future, we need to focus on people, asking âwho benefits?â from policy decisions. From our research we can see that many people, particularly those in work and children, are not benefitting from them. Here in the North we can and will power up, level up, rise up together- but every moment that we donât have the power and resources we need to do this, peoplesâ lives are affected.
“This is a wake-up call. Is the Government listening?”
A spokesperson for the Treasury explains that the government had spent ‘record sums’ (ÂŁ280bn) supporting families and jobs throughout the crisis.
The pointed to an increase in the national living wage, as well as a ÂŁ2bn ‘restart’ scheme to help people avoid long-term unemployment.
“We are totally committed to levelling up opportunities across the whole of the UK as we build back better,” they said.
“We already taken significant steps including announcing new investment in new green technologies, like carbon capture, which will create thousands of high quality jobs in the North, setting out plans for Freeports to boost growth across the UK, and investing ÂŁ100 billion in infrastructure to boost growth next year.
“Our new ÂŁ4 billion Levelling Up fund to support the fabric of everyday life, like highstreets, or train stations, is just one part of a whole of Government commitment.
“In the Treasury that includes reforming the Green Book, which appraises the funding of projects, to focus on regional impact, as well as plans to open a new Treasury office and our new UK infrastructure bank in the North in the coming year.
“The Civil Service as a whole has committed to relocating 22,000 civil service roles outside of London and the South East, as well as a step change in investment in skills to boost peopleâs chances of success wherever they live.”
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Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with ÂŁ31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 monthsâ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to ÂŁ16 per hour, which equates to ÂŁ31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a ÂŁ1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
Thereâs also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: âExpanding our offering in Oldham means weâll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
âWhether you’re looking for a career change or youâre a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, thereâs a role for everyone here in Oldham.
âWeâre looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.â
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: âIâve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldnât recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.â
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: âWe have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
âWe have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morningâs further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
âDespite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
âThe scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
âWe will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
âIâd like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support weâve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.â
News
More human remains discovered in Greater Manchester as police identify victim
All the latest updates
Detectives investigating the discovery of a torso in Kersal Dale have found more human remains around Greater Manchester.
GMP released a statement on the weekend, revealing they had opened four scenes for extensive searches â one of them at a warehouse in Bury, and three in Salford.
Searches took place at Blackleach reservoir, where human remains were found, and a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood.
Officers believe they have now identified the man, who they believe to be a man in his 60s that lived in Salford, and his family have been informed.
Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder probe, with officers saying they are thought to have lived with the victim.
Greater Manchester Police / Facebook
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Senior Investigating Officer for this investigation, said in a statement at Blackleach reservoir yesterday, Sunday April 28th: âWe have continued to make significant progress in our investigation into human remains being found in Kersal earlier this month.
âFrom day one, our priority has been to identify the man and his family so that we can give them the support and the answers that they need.
âThanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasnât yet taken place, but we believe he is a man in his 60s and lived in Salford.
âSpecially-trained family liaison officers have met with his family this afternoon to give them the devastating news, and we will do all that we can to support them at this awful time.
âWe believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody for questioning over the weekend, as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.â
He continued: âWe have painstakingly worked to follow up every line of inquiry in this investigation. Over the last couple of days, we have acted on information and had four scenes in place for extensive searches â one of them is at a warehouse in Bury, and three of them are in Salford, including here at Blackleach reservoir.
âToday, we have found some human remains at the reservoir here, and last night a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood. Forensic tests will continue to establish whose remains these are, but we are very confident that this is also the victim in our investigation.
âWe have also been searching a house in Winton where we believe the victim and the two suspects lived. We have found evidence that the victim is likely to have died there â most likely in late March.
âWhile this is significant progress, we know there is still some way to go to complete this investigation. I also recognise details of this case will have been distressing for the people of Salford and beyond – including the officers that are diligently working on this investigation, and most importantly the manâs heartbroken family.
âLocal officers will continue to patrol the affected areas, and we will provide updates when we have more information.â
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