Labour fears Thatcher-style ‘managed decline’ in North

LABOUR’S DEPUTY leader Angela Rayner has warned against a repeat of Thatcher-era “managed decline” for northern communities, as she said the North-South divide is continuing to grow.

In a video recorded for the Durham Miners Gala today, which is being held online this year due to coronavirus, Ms Rayner has warned the economic impact of coronavirus must not increase the North-South divide.

She added there had been a “human cost” of mass unemployment in northern communities under previous Conservative governments.

Ms Rayner said: “The NorthSouth divide is continuing to grow, and we cannot afford for the economic impact of coronavirus to increase this gap even more.

“The Tories talk a good game on this issue but their record of turning their backs on the North speaks for itself.”

She added: “Our mining communities know about the human cost of mass unemployment. We know how it feels to be abandoned by a Tory government and for entire generations to be consigned to what the Thatcher government called ‘managed decline’.”

The Government has repeatedly committed to “levelling up” the North, a key part of the manifesto that won them the December General Election.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that despite the coronavirus crisis and the cost to the Treasury of recovery measures, the Government will still invest to improve the lot of those outside of London.

Ms Rayner said the crisis has “shown the power of workers when we stand together”, calling on workers across the country to unite in the face of the economic impact of coronavirus.

She said: “This crisis has shown the power of workers when we stand together united, and shown the importance of trade unions fighting to protect jobs and wages and defend workers’ rights. Together we are strong.

“And in the months ahead we will need our collective strength as we fight to make sure that every worker is safe at work, protect our communities and make sure the most vulnerable in our society don’t bear the burden of the economic impact of coronavirus.”