I note from this morning's Journal that London receives more farming subsidy than the North East. That bare fact alone is reasonably staggering but it is not the full story. London's 385 farms (where?) actually receive on average 39 times the subsidy of each farm in the North East.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Answers

I know that London likes to think that it generates the nation's wealth but it does so at the expense of the rest of the nation. These farming subsidies are the tip of an iceberg. For years, the huge London house prices were subsidised by mortgage interest tax relief which must have been way in excess of the subsidies granted to other parts of the UK. People wishing to buy council properties are entitled to larger discounts in the South East than in the North. Billions of public money is poured into The Dome, The British Library, British Museum etc etc. The National Stadium will doubtless follow unless common sense and justice prevail.

Meanwhile, our people are forced to emigrate to the South, in order to progress their careers. I think a majority of posters here are Geordie emigrees. I don't object to people moving to further their careers, but in an equitable society, just as many Southerners would be coming North to further their careers. (So it's not all bad news then.)

I've said before if I was dicatator (it's an amusingly shaped root vegetable) of this country my first act would be to have the parliament move around the country from time to time rather than constantly sitting in Westminster. Of course, if I was dictator of this country, then I daresay a parliament would not be needed!

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Historically, a circle encompassing South East England, France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland and Northern Italy demarcated the prosperous area of Europe. The further one moved away, the greater the poverty e.g Scotland, Ireland and Southern Italy. The Industrial Revolution changed that -- Britain benefitted the most by the presence of cheap energy, abundant labour and the new inventions, most of which were made in the North. That was a temporary phase, and unless action is taken, the North East will decline even further relative to the rest of Europe. First and foremost we need better communications -- always the first consideration in improving living standards. Itis a disgrace that Edinburgh and Newcastle are not linked by a motorway. Next we need more investment, private and public. The record of our MPs bringing ifunds to our area is pathetic.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Emigrees - interesting fact 2.000 , Scotland population 5 million ?-: movement south of the border 49,000 , England population 60 million ?- movement North of the border 48,000 , Bit of a swop shop with only one ending if it carries on.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Funny,I read a book in 1968 that predicted the demise of any area north of the Watford Gap. It was about the benefits of the Common Market!!!!!

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

a modern day Sherrif of Nottingham tale...who is your Robin Hood?

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Was that the only book you read Spence?

I have a copy of Last Season in review by the Chronicle if you are interested. hiro brought it back for me.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Interesting points Flo especially about a Newcastle-Edinburgh motorway - an idea which makes me feel distinctly uneasy - Northumberland is such a beautiful tranquil place. Ah well, you remind me that economic development is very much a two edged sword.

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2001

Cut all farming subsidies, farmers have had it easy for years, it's time they were treated like any other business.

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2001

Subsidoes can work however, all we should do is even up the geogrphical problems. That means, subsidise the port, Airport - remove landing taxes etc, link up to to Chunnel by train, inter city train links to Leeds & Manchester & extend the M1 through the A1m channel. The rest is up to us.

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2001