Power surge

HOW to fix Britain’s overcentralised state? George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer, has an answer. Speaking in Manchester on June 23rd, he argued that some of England’s big cities need to become a collective “northern powerhouse” to rival London. The speech was “about getting the northern vote”, harrumphed Lord Prescott, a Labour peer. Perhaps. But it also reflected a growing consensus, which coalition ministers share with Labour, about how to boost the north of England. Whoever wins the general election in 2015, cities are likely to get more power.

Mr Osborne argued that Britain’s northern cities—in particular Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield—should function as a single economic unit. The area within a 40-mile (64km) radius of Manchester contains around 10m people, he noted, which ought to be more than enough to challenge London. To boost links between these cities, he proposed that High Speed 2, a proposed north-south railway, should be supplemented with a new east-west line. “Metro-mayors” should be created, with powers over large areas.