What to do about south east dominance?
Discussion
Anyone who isn't from the south east of this country, knows that this country basically moves on what goes on in the south east.
And those from other, better (and almost everywhere is better (or almost everywhere is worse... depends on definition)) parts of the country who've moved here sees that the south east is totally unrepresentative of reality.
What the heck can we do? I see this as the biggest challenge facing this country in the next thirty years.
And those from other, better (and almost everywhere is better (or almost everywhere is worse... depends on definition)) parts of the country who've moved here sees that the south east is totally unrepresentative of reality.
What the heck can we do? I see this as the biggest challenge facing this country in the next thirty years.
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Friday 20th August 00:26
MixxyMatosis said:
Being from the south east, of course I've never noticed this. Infact, I find it quite a random thing to hear. More precisely, what would you say the problem is?
It's incredible. Even the media has no idea what's out in the provinces.You have no clue unless you see the rest of the country.
two incidental facts... 1) This applies the other way as welll... provincial types don't see here. and 2) I am very skeptical that decisions made here by government/bank of england/quango #6 have any validity...
Somewhatfoolish said:
MixxyMatosis said:
Being from the south east, of course I've never noticed this. Infact, I find it quite a random thing to hear. More precisely, what would you say the problem is?
It's incredible. Even the media has no idea what's out in the provinces.You have no clue unless you see the rest of the country.
two incidental facts... 1) This applies the other way as welll... provincial types don't see here. and 2) I am very skeptical that decisions made here by government/bank of england/quango #6 have any validity...
As someone who grew up in the Home Counties and then moved to the Midlands, I think the OP has a point - this country is MASSIVELY London-centric - more so than any other western nation, I'd suggest (capital-centric, I mean).
...which is ridiculous.
OP - I don't think anything CAN or WILL be done - all those in power and those who influence are all centred around London - why would they change?!? Those who could have influenced some change (Scots, NI, & Welsh in that order) now have their own little toy-parliaments as a sop from Westminster so London can get on with the important stuff. And that's it...
...which is ridiculous.
OP - I don't think anything CAN or WILL be done - all those in power and those who influence are all centred around London - why would they change?!? Those who could have influenced some change (Scots, NI, & Welsh in that order) now have their own little toy-parliaments as a sop from Westminster so London can get on with the important stuff. And that's it...
Now living in Surrey (Waverley to be precise), born and in-bred in the Midlands I can see both sides of the story. Surrey is a very wealthy area and is not representative of the country, or to be honest much of the South East IMO, fantastic countryside, villages and good towns.
However, the old myth about everyone from 'Down South' being miserable and un-friendly isn't true. The cost of living is very high and to be honest the salary weighting doesn't really make up the additional costs in a 'like for like job' somewhere else in the country.
The North is not a wasteland...... Aldershot, Farnborough, Worthing, Woking, Bracknell, Reading on the other hand
However, the old myth about everyone from 'Down South' being miserable and un-friendly isn't true. The cost of living is very high and to be honest the salary weighting doesn't really make up the additional costs in a 'like for like job' somewhere else in the country.
The North is not a wasteland...... Aldershot, Farnborough, Worthing, Woking, Bracknell, Reading on the other hand

How quaint, bless your heart.
Listen, we have a bit of a shindig coming up with the Sloanes and the Astors, if you could trot off into the fields and get some potatoes, cabbages, turnips and lupins that would be a real help.
Should you bump into that ghastly bounder Crompton and his new fangled Spinning Mule thing do send him our derision and remind him that's what the sub continent is for.
Toodles.
Listen, we have a bit of a shindig coming up with the Sloanes and the Astors, if you could trot off into the fields and get some potatoes, cabbages, turnips and lupins that would be a real help.
Should you bump into that ghastly bounder Crompton and his new fangled Spinning Mule thing do send him our derision and remind him that's what the sub continent is for.
Toodles.
havoc said:
As someone who grew up in the Home Counties and then moved to the Midlands, I think the OP has a point - this country is MASSIVELY London-centric - more so than any other western nation, I'd suggest (capital-centric, I mean).
...which is ridiculous.
OP - I don't think anything CAN or WILL be done - all those in power and those who influence are all centred around London - why would they change?!? Those who could have influenced some change (Scots, NI, & Welsh in that order) now have their own little toy-parliaments as a sop from Westminster so London can get on with the important stuff. And that's it...
Which other Western nations have you spent the equivalent amount of time in to bolster your suggestion?...which is ridiculous.
OP - I don't think anything CAN or WILL be done - all those in power and those who influence are all centred around London - why would they change?!? Those who could have influenced some change (Scots, NI, & Welsh in that order) now have their own little toy-parliaments as a sop from Westminster so London can get on with the important stuff. And that's it...
Liokault said:
As a guy from the South (Oxford, is that south east?), and having just spent 6 months working and living in Crewe, I can report that the north is more or less a waste land that we don’t really need to consider.
That's like saying "I visited Miami, America is crap".Crewe is hardly representative of The North...
Somewhatfoolish said:
Anyone who isn't from the south east of this country, knows that this country basically moves on what goes on in the south east.
And those from other, better (and almost everywhere is better (or almost everywhere is worse... depends on definition)) parts of the country who've moved here sees that the south east is totally unrepresentative of reality.
What the heck can we do? I see this as the biggest challenge facing this country in the next thirty years.
Why is it a challenge?And those from other, better (and almost everywhere is better (or almost everywhere is worse... depends on definition)) parts of the country who've moved here sees that the south east is totally unrepresentative of reality.
What the heck can we do? I see this as the biggest challenge facing this country in the next thirty years.
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Friday 20th August 00:26
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff





