Yes, it can be grim up north – but it doesn't have to be says thinktank

IPPR says new spending powers and a voice to champion the region are needed to halt economic slide The north of England needs new powers, such as control over welfare, housing and transport spending, to reverse its economic slide, a report from an independent commission will say this week. The cliche that it is grim up north contains "more than a grain of truth", it will claim, with swaths of the country lacking the ability to champion their own needs and stimulate a rise in productivity. With L...