Andy Burnham is making promises to the North, but as a northerner, Alex Evans says we've heard it all before. The former Mayor of Manchester is set to become the UK's seventh PM in 10 years, vowing to shake up the balance of power. However, Evans argues that the North desperately needs fixing before it can become a geopolitical or financial heavyweight.
Transport Links Are Worse in the North
Transport is a key issue. It's quicker to get a train from London to Brighton (81 miles, 58 minutes) than from Leeds to Manchester (36 miles, 1 hour 2 minutes). It's also cheaper: the 81-mile journey costs 16p per mile (£13), while the northern city hop is 22p per mile (£8). Driving is even worse. There are almost no links between Sheffield and Manchester; the 40.5-mile drive takes 1 hour 27 minutes, compared to 1 hour 12 minutes for the 42-mile London-to-Reading journey.
Investment Gap Between London and the North
Investment is another problem. According to charity IPPR, between 2012-2013 and 2022-2023, London received £1,183 per person in transport investment. In Yorkshire, it was just £441, and the North East was lowest at £430. Overall government public spending was £18,370 per person in the North, £3,000 lower than London's £21,117. A token 'Number 10 in the north' solves nothing without real money.
Remote Work Decline Hits the North Hard
Jobs are the third issue. Remote and hybrid work had been a great leveller for the North, allowing talented people to work for London-based employers without relocating. But according to the Work Foundation, only 4.3% of jobs advertised in 2025 were remote, the lowest since the pandemic, and only 13.5% offered hybrid work. Both have 'reduced drastically' since the pandemic. Research shows 46% of 1,221 survey participants wanted to work remotely all the time, yet remote-only roles are down 50% compared to 2020/21.
Immigration and Community Tensions
Immigration is also a sensitive issue. In Sheffield, Page Hall was traditionally working class but is now almost exclusively first or second generation immigrants, with high crime rates. The local paper, The Star, ran a front page highlighting problems but admitted fear of being labelled racist. The Rotherham grooming gangs scandal, where police failed to act for fear of racism, exemplifies divided communities. This fuels far-right rise and tensions.
The North used to be Labour heartlands, with jokes that even 'a monkey in a red rosette' would be elected. Now Reform, Greens, Lib Dems, and Tories have torn down the red wall. Evans concludes that the north-south divide must be fixed with real action, not just promises.
