The north-south divide has increased since 2004, creating a two-tier economy a think tank is warning.
The Centre for Cities’ 2015 Cities Outlook report reveals that for every 12 new jobs created between 2004-2013 in the south, only one has been generated elsewhere in the rest of the country.
The think tank studied 64 of the UK’s largest towns across a period of ten years, finding that only a few cities - mostly in the south - have seen their population and businesses grow. Elsewhere, economies have declined due to a lack of business growth, the migration of skilled and young workers and falling employment opportunities.
Andrew Carter, acting chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: ‘The stark picture the report paints of the enormous gap in the fortunes of UK cities over 10 years underlines why a ‘steady as she goes’ approach must be scrapped.
‘We must move from thinking that bundling up new funding streams with bureaucratic delays, or simply tinkering around the edges with well-intentioned announcements, will be enough to reverse trends that are becoming increasingly entrenched.’
The report calls for all political parties to provide incentives for cities to support economic growth and devolve fiscal and structural power to cities.