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The problem with positing that social liberalism & prosperity are symbiotic, in order to bolster the argument that the rest of the country should become more like London, is that London, the most prosperous part of the country, is also the most socially conservative part too.
London is the most socially conservative part of the country guys https://twitter.com/JoshAJHall/status/1276174937640878080?s=20
Quite possibly bc it is the most religiously observant part of the country https://twitter.com/omnialnchristo/status/1275721502697103360?s=20
Statement: 'all morals are grounded in religious teachings' (UnHerd)
Freddie Sayers fleshes that out here https://twitter.com/freddiesayers/status/1200453916812611584?s=20
There is also evidence to suggest that London is also the most authoritarian part of the country too unfortunately https://www.onlondon.co.uk/london-is-most-authoritarian-part-of-the-country-survey-finds/
&, unfortunately, the most homophobic part of the country too https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-is-more-homophobic-than-the-north-10120844.html
London snort more Cocaine than anywhere else too. Perhaps this is what Danny Finlelstein & John McTernan mean by āsocial liberalismā? Im not sure how this will increase productivity though? Drug mis-use tends to lower pplās productivity in the long-run https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/londoners-snort-23kg-of-cocaine-a-day-twice-as-much-as-any-other-european-city-a4258421.html
There is evidence to suggest that London, unfortunately, might be the most racist part of the country too https://twitter.com/allycinnamon76/status/1280766800096092160?s=20
London is also the āacid attack hotspot of the Western worldā https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-is-acid-attack-hotspot-of-western-world-with-victims-as-young-as-10-a4222921.html
With a serious knife crime problem https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-knife-crime-hits-highest-level-ever-recorded-a3965111.html
Ultimately, what I object to in the suggestion by Danny Finkelstein & John McTernan that the rest of the country should become more like London bc London is more social liberalism is not JUST the fact that London is NOT more socially liberal than the rest of the country
I also object to the suggestion that the underlying factor behind regional inequality in this country is not bc of any structural/systemic factor but bc of culture. Finkelstein & McTernan are basically saying that the North are poorer bc of their culture.
i.e they are implying that if the North are poorer they have no one else to blame but themselves. I expect this from a Tory of a certain type like Finkelstein, for McTernan (a supposed 
man) to join in,says a great deal about the contempt some ppl feel for the rest of the 
man) to join in,says a great deal about the contempt some ppl feel for the rest of the
So regional inequality in this country has absolutely nowt to do with structural/systemic factors? Erm... you wanna bet? https://twitter.com/NeilDotObrien/status/1235839002634117121?s=20
& Londoners themselves (the vast majority) know this https://twitter.com/SimonMAtkinson/status/1222108854332379136?s=20
There are many & multitudinous ways that I could cite (that would spam up your feed) in which London has advantages over the rest of the country. https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/gp-funding-has-unfair-london-bias-finds-study/
To posit āsocial liberalismā as the reason why London is more prosperous is not only wrong (it isnt) its also implying that the rest of the country are poorer bc of their culture. Imagine if Nigel Farage said this about an ethnic minority group? How would you react?
Read Neilās full thread below if you want an insight into some of the structural/systemic advantages that London has over the rest of the country https://twitter.com/NeilDotObrien/status/1235839067801055232?s=20
Oh look this must have summat do with the Northās ācultureā http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-42049922
Again, this must be ācultureā related https://www.ippr.org/news-and-media/press-releases/transport-spending-has-risen-twice-as-much-per-person-in-london-than-in-the-north-since-launch-of-northern-powerhouse
Brought on themselves these Northern types https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/05/north-continues-to-see-bigger-cuts-in-public-spending-report-finds
Again, this must be bc of culture https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/28/deprived-northern-regions-worst-hit-by-uk-austerity-study-finds
Youāll never guess!
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/may/06/most-depressed-english-communities-in-north-and-midlands
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/may/06/most-depressed-english-communities-in-north-and-midlands
Not socially liberal enough Im afraid https://twitter.com/centrefortowns/status/1267025483226648581?s=20
Anyway, you get the idea. Finkelstein & McTernan are talking out of their a*se.
