The annual Centre for Cities report makes grim reading for much of Scotland. Dundee and Glasgow were listed in the bottom five places in the UK when “disparities within cities” was looked at.
In fact, Scotland’s largest population centre was rooted at the foot of that particular table of shame, while Dundonians have the “largest life satisfaction decrease”, according to the report. We’re well connected for broadband, though.
Where performed above average north of the border? Edinburgh, mainly. Aberdeen also deserves an honourable mention but, interestingly, it was the country’s capital the SNP decided to hail in a press release.
Why is that interesting? Surely it’s good we have some cities doing well. Of course it is and I would argue there are a lot of good things going on in both Dundee and Glasgow, lest anyone decides to write either off.
However, the message the SNP’s PR machine decided to put across was that London is the root cause for the UK being, in the words of the report itself, “one of the most centralised countries in the developed world.”
Interesting selection of quote from a party behind a revamp of emergency services that is poised to see local police station public counters close and police and fire control rooms lost from communities.
Indeed, let’s compare London and Edinburgh. One is the UK capital, the other Scotland’s capital. One is home to the UK parliament, the other the Scottish parliament. Both are major financial hubs. Both attract plenty of people moving to the “big city” from all across the country.
Not so dissimilar, I would argue.
Edinburgh Central MSP Marco Biagi was put up to simultaneously warn us about “the damaging aspect of London’s hyper-growth at the expense of other cities” while also praising the fact that “Edinburgh is the fastest growing city across the countries of the UK outside of London.”
Never mind the fact the report actually says: “The debate around London’s role in the UK economy has polarised. One side claims that London sucks the life out of the UK, while the other argues that the rest of the nation is a drain on the capital. Neither position is accurate or helpful.”
I’m all for cities doing well. I’m glad Edinburgh and Aberdeen are able to bring in big money investment by virtue of their financial and oil industries, amongst other attractions.
But does it make much difference to devolve more power from one centralising parliament to another? Something to chew over the next time we’re faced with “London bad, Scotland good”.