THE one thing that everybody agreed on after Britain’s divisive vote to leave the European Union was that the country was far too centralised. Both Leavers and Remainers recognised that Brexit was partly a vote against London’s dominance. Journalists,most of whom had thought Remain would win in a walk, confessed that they knew nothing about large chunks of their country. Theresa May promised to reach out to people who felt left behind. Editors ordered their minions to visit the provinces.
Today the problem of centralisation is worse than ever. Westminster and Whitehall are even more inward-looking. Mrs May’s policies for helping the left-behind believe not buttered a single parsnip. A few lonely journalists are continuing to produce good on their promise to score out more. But most newspapers are more interested in the drama in Downing Street (and Brussels) than in the fate of the regions. One of the many paradoxes of Brexit is that a movement that was driven by frustration with London-centric...
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Source: economist.com