As we enter a general election campaign in a divided Britain, a new Unions21 poll, published at its annual conference, shows that:
48% of people think that Britain’s economy is more divided than it was 30 years ago.
65% say that the next government needs to give a higher priority to rebalancing the economy. This applies across all voter groups and regions.
The polling accompanies a detailed new report, edited by Diana Johnson MP and including contributions from:
Clive Betts MP
Ian Brinkley – Work Foundation
Duncan Exley – Equality Trust
John Hannett - USDAW
Alan Johnson MP
Jane Lancastle – Prospect Wales
Rachel McIlroy – Royal College of Nursing and Jon Skewes – Royal College of Midwives
Tim Page – TUC
Christine Payne - Equity
Mick Whelan – ASLEF
Diana Johnson MP said ‘This is not a case of North versus South, or even London versus the rest. This report shows that regional inequality, and unbalanced growth, hurts everyone. The North’s problems, Wales’s problems and the South West’s problems are not narrow, regional issues. They are Britain’s problems. Only by tackling these issues together, as one nation, can every corner of the UK benefit from growth and opportunity’.
Sue Ferns, Chair of Unions 21 said ‘There is nothing inevitable about the divisions that beset Britain. Our publication shows that there are better approaches and that these are achievable. All political candidates should prioritise these issues and commit to working with unions and other stakeholders to make a positive difference to the lives of working people’
The conference will be held at Leeds City Museum from 10.30am on 20th March 2015. Paul Nowak, TUC Assistant General Secretary, will be debating with Diana Johnson in the opening session.
