A CALL to the Government to abandon the North came from a Dr Timothy Leunig as he degraded the northern cities in a speech, adding that they are a waste of taxpayers' money in their upkeep.
According to him, residents of the north, should relocate to the south where work is in abundance, regardless of our history, carved out by its Northern inhabitants throughout its glorious past.
He has probably never been further north than Watfor
d Gap. Never experienced the beauty of our countryside, the lakes and the dales, moreover, the friendliness and humour of the northern people with their adaptability to change.
He has probably never witnessed the re-development of our towns and inner cities, the modernisation of the once industrious profitable ports and harbours.
Never toured the marinas, giving credit to Liverpool and Hartlepool for their transformation to receive the Tall Ships, enhancing the reputation that change can bring about, with a little foresight to the once industrious ports and harbours of the North, nor visited the towns and cities that produced steel, cotton and linen goods to be sent to the four corners of the globe.
According to him, we have passed our sell-by date and he confines us to the dust bin.
But the North did re-develop, proving the tenacity and determination of its northern people, to rise like a phoenix out of the past, by producing our own northern entrepreneurs, aiding us to prosper.
We may have rough, northern humour, but what Mr Leunig never realised was that the North has a heart and soul, with an indefatigable fighting spirit, which remains truly northern and does not wish to venture south of Manchester, never mind the Watford Gap.
Fred Gibbson,
Masefield Road,
Hartlepool.
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