Tuesday, March 08, 2016
Government's northern powerhouse becomes geographically challenged
When George Osborne announced the northern powerhouse as a signal the government wanted to be inclusive by rebalancing the economy away from London, it was not then clear that he meant North London as opposed to the North of England. That though appears to be the reality.
The Independent reports that far from devolving power and jobs up north the opposite appears to be the case. They say that 97 per cent of senior officials at the Government department responsible for the so-called “Northern Powerhouse” work in London:
Figures released by ministers top senior civil servant jobs have actually shifted towards London since David Cameron came to power.
In April 2010 65.1 per cent of senior civil servants across all departments worked in London, while April 2015 saw the figure rise to 67 per cent.
At the department tasked with delivering the Northern Powerhouse, DCLG, 97.6 per cent of senior civil servants are based in London.
BIS, the department most heavily involved in the northern powerhouse is closing its Sheffield office and relocating staff to London.
Is it true that irony was invented by the UK Government?
The Independent reports that far from devolving power and jobs up north the opposite appears to be the case. They say that 97 per cent of senior officials at the Government department responsible for the so-called “Northern Powerhouse” work in London:
Figures released by ministers top senior civil servant jobs have actually shifted towards London since David Cameron came to power.
In April 2010 65.1 per cent of senior civil servants across all departments worked in London, while April 2015 saw the figure rise to 67 per cent.
At the department tasked with delivering the Northern Powerhouse, DCLG, 97.6 per cent of senior civil servants are based in London.
BIS, the department most heavily involved in the northern powerhouse is closing its Sheffield office and relocating staff to London.
Is it true that irony was invented by the UK Government?
