Northern Powerhouse

There are now government plans moving ahead for devolution of powers to Greater Manchester as part of a longer term plan to build a 'northern powerhouse'.

Meanwhile, some would like the north of England to break away from London and to join Scotland.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/95826/increased-support-for-north-of-england-to-join-an-independent-scotland

Some 'big' ideas about at the moment, will it end with a sprawling northern megacity, and what sort of place of the future would that be, somewhere you would want to live?

After 70 years of constant changes and interference in the 'governing' of this UK my final analysis on the matter has been one of de-centalisation. Things worked better when local aspirations were met and satisfied by local decisions. The 'trick' is to put in place a system whereby power cannot rest solely with a small caucus for too long. Power corrupts, absolute power etc etc. I have seen the results of such 'power' and have yet to come across any human being capable of either realising the effect upon him/herself or of having the ability to avoid it. (Perhaps with the exception of Mandella - possibly.)

How should it operate? Therein lies the 'nub' of the matter. Joining Scotland. Never. Wouldn't work. Too many differences. Silly idea if only because the nationalism you see in Scotland at the moment will whither and die the minute the people realise or experience what the final outcome will be. It could be stopped tomorrow by removing the Barnett formula and giving them fiscal autonomy.    You want independence - you got it.

The structural planning for the 'northern powerhouse' appears to be going on in London, rather than being a local initiative.

London economy and society is seriously overheating. Housing is a big problem. Brickmaking factories are starting up again, the intention must be to build. Housing and a functioning economy in the north would attract the surplus and displaced population of London.

Could be good for the north in some ways, depending what sort of place people want to live in. Chatter about this sort of project has been going on for years, but pressure from London has become serious now.

Peoples lives in the north, from a local perspective might be rather different from what politicians in London might imagine. A shopping trip into many towns of the north can be quite depressing and worrying, if you take the time to notice what goes on.
http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/local/burnley-beggar-lived-on-15-a-week-1-7269732

Will and how will northern powerhouse plans deal with the long term, culturally embedded poverty and disadvantage that seems so embedded?

By  ensuring the monies granted are spent on proper infrastructure and economic development rather than on grandiose self-aggrandising schemes. By using local monies and EU monies to prosper the local requirements. By removing some of the crazy/PC grants to appease local nutters. Etc etc etc.

By using private monies to enhance local reputations and by turn 'getting things done'.

Local government, properly regulated and overseen, is a power house in it's own right and far more effective than any centralised scheme can ever be. It's been done before and it has worked before.

Time to try it again.

Local government properly regulated and overseen? That is a radical idea. Very difficult to imagine how that could be put in motion, would require a huge change in attitudes, expectations, structures, processes, rather more difficult than simply building new motorways, railways and houses etc.

Yes. You could say we (as a nation) have lost sight of the moral 'high-ground' and therefore getting the 'right type' of people to represent us could be a problem. I still think 'pride of place' once primed can become tantalizingly addictive. A change of attitudes? - It's only a state of mind.

With the population of a city the size of Coventry being added every year, and a huge number of houses in mutiple occupation in London boroughs, that is, general and unsustainable overcrowding, whatever the plans, intentions and investment for a 'Northern Powerhouse' may be, as things go on, publicity, jobs and housing in the north will probably attract surplus population from London area over the next decade or so. Could develop into quite an international megacity. Difficult to see how all that can be sustained in an overcrowded England without building nuclear power stations.

Another possibility is that an increasingly independent Scotland may wish to attract immigrants to give the short term boost to the economy that worked for London. Possibly a mix of the two effects to attract population north. These conjectures are about possible futures that will probably not take effect for a few years, most people are more concerned with immediate matters.

Ah well you see - we put traps down for them. Them there conjectures get everywhere. My advice is to do less social networking after midnight. They don't like the dark you see. Turns them funny - in the head so t' speak.   Megacities eh! Sounds like a disease. Are you still taking the pills. You are supposed to you know. The full prescription. Not only now and then because you feel better. Tch. I don't
know!

The future is perhaps not as interesting as it used to be. Funny thing with time though, if you ignore the future as irrelevant, it suddenly pops up full of all kinds of implications.

Ah well you see. That's because you haven't been taking the full 'course'. A secondary infection, thats what them implications are. My advice would be to take a trot around the 'lake' after midnight (taking a large club with you) and once on the far side build a small camp fire. Find a rabbit (that's what the club is for) and with the skin adorn the affected area making sure you mumble incoherently during the process. Leave the skin on for three weeks. You won't have a lot of friends during this period but it will teach you to avoid getting to many bouts of conjectures.

I hope that's clear. 

As for your bouts of ignoring things I would suggest that your future would become less of a surprise (as to the implications it throws up) if you read more of your history. What comes around goes around. Quite often in a guise not immediately recognisable but always with a direct bearing on the past. Take my word for it. I'm an historian by nature and by my written word.

Must put that on my list of things to do.

Very wise. I shall be 'watching'.

A watched kettle never boils.

That's another one of those old wives tales isn't it. I watched a kettle only half an hour ago and it boiled away quite merrily long before I got fed up and switched it off. Clouds and clouds of steam and gurgling noises. Just like a punctured steam locomotive. Very entertaining really - for a little while. Hey ho -.

While you are in the kitchen, could you work out how to make a extremely efficient steam powered engine using a kettle, mechanism from a fridge, a microwave oven and any other bits and bobs lying about in there?

I have taken on board your suggestion.( I know it's 9 months ago. I'm busy aren't I!) It did nothing for the wife's hair-do when she plugged it in. I don't understand what all the excitement was about? I've seen many of them ethnic women with hair-do's almost identical. Perhaps I should go back to the drawing board and see where I went wrong with them coloured wires?  Hmmmm -  - - - .