noodles I am sure they would love to up their game, but they don't have the resources, the experience, the kudos, or the sheer "Capital city confidence" of London. They are on the edge of the "known world". That is what the unrest is about. There is the prosperous and powerful Souith-East, and there is the rest of the country. Telling them to stop whinging and pull themselves up be their bootstraps does not work.
The Institute for Public Policy Research has published a paper which says:-
“Over the past century, England has become one of the most centralised nations in the developed world, despite the considerable powers devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the success of London, with its strong regional governance and mayoral leadership.”
“We argue that England’s 80-year-long experiment with centralisation has failed, and it is time to embark on a new journey: a programme of decentralisation that will liberate the nation, drive prosperity and growth, and provide a new platform for more innovative and effective public service reform and a society which is more equal.”
One of their points is a need for “a clear timetable for enabling the decentralisation of nearly 40 key administrative, fiscal and political functions of government, starting prior to the 2015 general election.”
www.ippr.org/publications/decentralisation-decade