North bears the burden of austerity

THE North is still enduring the greatest burden of the Government’s austerity.

Weekly pay in the North since 2008 has fallen by £21, compared with a £7 fall in Wales and £15 in the West Midlands, says the IPPR North thinktank.

Investment is down by £6.3billion in real terms since 2009-10, while in the South-East and SouthWest it rose £3.2billion.

Average household wealth is more than twice as high in the South-East compared with the NorthEast. And northerners have the lowest life expectancies in England.

The IPPR report says the Brexit-obsessed Government is failing to realise the North’s potential when “it is needed most”.