A Tale of the 50th G7 Summit and Britain’s Missed City Opportunities
Before the grand G7 gathering in southern Italy, a sharp-eyed think‑tank, Centre of Cities, slammed the UK’s regional cities into the spotlight. Their report? A stark reminder that investment isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the backbone of economic vitality.
The Productivity Puzzle
- Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Sheffield and Nottingham? Low juice per hour. They’re eating out of the cheap dishes while their counterparts in Paris and Berlin burn brighter.
- US cities, by contrast, spread their cash more evenly. Local financial hubs and fresh initiatives mean they’re striking gold on every corner.
- Even Lyon and Frankfurt outshine the likes of Birmingham. Habitual bragging: the UK sits in the middle of the G7, only outsprinting Canada, Italy and Japan—nothing more.
London: The Big Bear With a Bite
Once the perennial bleeding heart with its steady, sprawling wealth, London has begun to feel the crunch. The vacuum it leaves behind leaves other cities vulnerable—like a herd of chubby bison suddenly starving for her food.
What The Big Guys (aka Gov) Need to Do
- Adopt a broad-brush investment policy that doesn’t leave anyone in the cold.
- Turbocharge digital industries in the provinces (think AI, art‑gen, deep‑learning).
- Keep the bright minds from taking the express train to London.
Laura Lodwick’s “The Master Plan”
Chief of Hub Operations, AND Digital delivers a compelling pitch:
“Regional investment is the secret sauce to UK prosperity,” Laura quips. “Tech isn’t London‑bound—it has a global net, and we’ve got playas catching up!”
- Skilled people flock to London. That’s fine until they’re sparse in home towns.
- Digital geniuses in areas like generative AI and data analytics become the key players.
- Education, local training centers, reskill & upskill sats — all part of the “keep the talent home” mission.
“Seeing the rest of the UK ignite is time,” she laughs. “We’re not just scribbles; we’re the willpower that can build future economies!”
Bottom Line? It’s a Grab‑And‑Go Rally
The report tells us: if the UK wants to keep its pulse alive, the next step isn’t a Thatcher‑style rant but a clear, actionable strategy focused on digital innovation, local skill development, and capturing the talent that was long‑haunting London. Because, honestly, leave a city behind, and someone will hop on his bus—faster and stronger than you can imagine.
