Britain | The geography of public spending

For once, London is short-changed by the government

Cash for everywhere outside the M25

A closed amusement arcade in Southport, England. The sign on the shutters reads “open every day”
Photograph: Getty Images
|3 min read

During a parliamentary debate in April, politicians from northern England complained about the lack of public investment in their patches. “The north has been short-changed,” argued Emma Foody, mp for Cramlington and Killingworth in the north-east. “We are given the cast-offs,” added Sarah Russell, the mp for Congleton in the north-west.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Big-city blues”

From the June 14th 2025 edition

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