Is David Cameron Right to say that the city report is 'insane'?

Question

David Cameron has described as "insane" a report by a right-leaning think tank, which suggested some cities in northern England were "beyond revival".

Is the report fair?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7558742.stm

Answer 1

Yes he is right to criticise it. It is plainly absurd as a projected solution. Though it was laughable to hear John Prescott, the concrete king of the South East, talk about the unrealistic house building programme required. lol

It is simply untrue to assert that all regeneration has failed. It is not possible to reverse 50 years of decline from an industrial peak, with a smaller population than today, that still suffered poverty and deprivation with a decade of average investment.

The ripple effect of change from this investment will take decades to unfold. Though where I do agree is that the way it has been targeted has lacked a long term strategy with vision and has relied too much on local enthusiasm and 'favourite' plans.

The North West region has a massive economy of its own and it would benefit from investment in Airport infrastructure and a new improved rail link to London. Rather than expanding Heathrow, which ought to start concentrating on quality not quantity, in advance of 2012. Allowing the North West Airports at Liverpool and Manchester plus the East Midlands to handle much higher traffic volumes would boost more regions over the next 4 years and spread more effectively the economic potential of the games.  

Answer 2

It is insane, yes. We already have a problem of a North-South divide in England, basically a "brain drain" from the North and an overcrowded and overheated South, and what this report's authors want to encourage is more of the same!

They are right to state that regeneration schemes in areas like Sunderland have largely failed, but this is generally due to the crappy nature of such schemes, not because  these cities are inherently badly located from an economic perspective.

"Regeneration" largely consists of: bung a few million to a company to open up a call centre that they can just as easily ship off to India in 2 years time, then bung a few more million to a developer to put up thousands of overpriced "apartments" that nobody can afford or wants to live in. It's no wonder these schemes have failed.

Apart from anything else, the report lacks historical perspective. 20 or 30 years ago Newcastle, Leeds, and Manchester were said by some to be beyond revival, yet this proved not to be the case. Even Cambridge, one of the cities they mention in the report, was something of an economic backwater just a few decades ago.

Answer 3

Of course hes right.

Its the most sensible thing hes ever said.

That report is bollocks

Answer 4

Yes, of course it's insane. A lot of southern cities have poverty too. Should we abandon them also?

Answer 5

You mean of course that Right Wing Thick Tank of gooners who only think London is a city and that all the rest of our glorious British cities should be shut down!

This is the same Right **** Thick Tank who came up with the idea of never doing trade with anyone with the colour Green in their Flag. So, no trade with Ireland, Wales and Italy, just to name a few!

David Cameron should not just disassociate himself and his party from these Thickers, he should cut them off completely and find someone else to do his political think-research.

We're heading for an Election in 2010 - the people of such as Liverpool, one of our greatest and proudest cities, are not going to forget.

Likewise, what can the folk of Manchester and other major cities of our Northern England be thinking?

I know what they're thinking, that the Tories are unfit for purpose.

If a political party wants power, it does not get it by spitting in the faces of the people.

If all it takes is a few billion pounds to help re-create the glorious past of any city, then let us spend our money there.  The money is our and it does not belong to the politicians.  We the people decide and in 2010 we will get out chance.

Vote with care and may the best Labour Party win.  

Answer 6

Think tank my ar...

They should be shot, how dare thy come up with this report it stinks and I do not believe that South is the answer.

How come the Southerner's keep coming up here to buy up all our property.

The Port of Liverpool is getting back on the map, and I could go on all day.  For once David Cameron is right.  This report does not help anyone and I fear it smacks with hatred and does not ring true at all.

Something like this just causes more trouble and divides the north from the south again.  If people of a business nature believe things like this then new projects are put into the bin straight away.