In my view, the North of England has increasingly and unfairly been burdened with the challenges of rapid migration and limited support infrastructure.
This includes both asylum seekers and economic migrants, many of whom have arrived without adequate long-term integration plans in place from the government.
Alongside this, some local communities — including sections of the White working class — appear to have lost hope, contributing to a broader sense of decline in certain areas.
Someone from the South — for instance, from Hayling Island in Hampshire — may not fully grasp the daily realities or the social and economic shifts happening in towns across the North. But that doesn't mean these issues aren't real or worth discussing.
Regarding your immigrant quota, those who work and contribute in Hayling Island, I can assure you that is not the case up North with hotels full of non-working migrants.
My family has deep roots in the region.
My sons, siblings, and extended family live and work there — they're part of the community, with homes, jobs, and children of their own. I'm still actively involved myself, including through building housing locally, so this isn't a nostalgic or detached perspective. I'm witnessing real, accelerating decline.
Where should they move to? You think it would be that easy to uproot?
I'd also like to see the police return to their core function: policing crime. With serious issues like knife and gun violence rising in some areas, it can feel frustrating to see resources diverted to activities that, while symbolic, don't address the growing concerns of safety and law enforcement. Prioritising public protection must come first.