London is still the UK’s golden goose – and that needs to change | Jack Brown

Remove London from the UK's economy and the nation would fold. Decentralisation would benefit everyone

London could be justified in feeling a little unappreciated right now. Britons outside the capital think of its residents as "arrogant" and "insular", an investigation by the Centre for London has found; London itself is seen as expensive and crowded. Pride in the capital decreases with distance from it, and appears to be declining over time. And while over three-quarters of Brits agree that London contributes to the national economy, just 16% feel it contributes to the economy where they live.

There is a long-held and persistent sense that London is too dominant in national life. Some also perceive its success as coming at the expense of the rest of the country - an idea that has re-emerged periodically throughout history, most famously in the 1820s when parliamentarian William Cobbett described the capital as a "Great Wen", a gigantic cyst draining the life out of the rest of the nation.

Related: The Guardian view on London and England: a deep divide | Editorial

Related: London v England: where does your area fit in the great divide?

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