【Visualization of the map of the United Kingdom】
Preface
In 2023, the UK's per capita GDP will be about 39,000 pounds, about 49,000 US dollars or 350,000 yuan, which looks good.
This is not necessarily, people from all walks of life and regions in the UK have their own troubles.
[London is the most listened to in the UK]
1. Brothers should be separated
As we all know, according to the current law of the United Kingdom, the four major components of the United Kingdom, namely England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, etc., had such a clause when they were "merged" one after another: it is okay to separate in the future.
The main body of the United Kingdom is England, and it has a relationship with Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, etc., what would be more appropriate to describe it? It is certainly not a father-son relationship, nor is it a husband and wife relationship-when they were together, there was no dowry on the left, no dowry on the right, and to be precise, it was actually a brotherly relationship.
【A corner of the sea in Northern Ireland】
Northern Ireland, which shares the same island as Ireland (the island of Ireland), followed Britain at the beginning, and its appeal was simple: to live a good life.
From 1937, when Southern Ireland (the southern part of the island of Ireland) was declared an independent republic, to 1948, when Southern Ireland officially declared its independence from the British Commonwealth, Britain was forced to retain only six counties in the northern part of the island of Ireland, and also changed the name of the country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
【Streets of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland】
According to this point in time, it has been more than 70 years.
To date, even if armed conflict is not counted, Northern Ireland has completed two independence referendums alone, and each time it has become more "effective", and the United Kingdom has repeatedly refused to recognize the legal validity of the referendum results, and has done everything in its power to prevent the third referendum in Northern Ireland from happening.
【Aerial view of Belfast city】
Why are the people of Northern Ireland so persistent?
The reason is also very simple, the main representative of the Northern Ireland independence referendum movement is the local Sinn Féin party, in their words, they wanted to live a good life with the United Kingdom, but only England has a good life, and the people of Northern Ireland have long been fed up with this life of wealth and poverty.
【Streets of Belfast】
However, economic problems account for only half of the reasons why Northern Ireland wants to secede from the UK, and the other half will be discussed at the end.
Here are two predictions: if Northern Ireland can hold a third referendum, it is likely that the people of Northern Ireland will really realize their dream of "sharing their luggage and returning to their hometown";
【Morning in Belfast】
Second, the loss of large customers
This big customer is the big Russian customer who used to buy, buy, and buy in the UK, especially in the London area, and here is just a case of London property.
In 2005:
More and more Russian tycoons began to like to invest in the United Kingdom, especially London, they often spend a lot of money to buy British mansions, brand-name clothing and jewelry and other luxury goods, especially high-end residences in many wealthy areas of London, which are the most sought-after assets, and some British media once joked that Russian tycoons have bought half of London.
At the time, it was estimated that Russian customers accounted for at least a third of the million-pound or more transactions in London's residential market, and more than half of the million-pound luxury homes sold for more than 10 million pounds.
【City of London from afar】
In 2021:
Sadiq Khan, who was re-elected as mayor of London in 2021, said in an interview with the media that in recent years (Sadiq Khan was first elected mayor of London in 2016), the London real estate market has been very hot, and buyers from Russia alone have bought about 1.5 billion pounds (the exchange rate at that time was about 1 pound ≈9 yuan) of real estate in the United Kingdom.
Note that these are only these years, and the investments from the early 90s to before 2016 are not counted.
[It is one of the most important financial centers in Europe and the world]
You must know that the investment of Russian tycoons in the United Kingdom, especially in the London area, is varied, in addition to real estate, they will also invest a lot in sports, entertainment, collecting, etc., almost all-inclusive.
As a result, starting from 2022, people in the UK, especially in Greater London, will no longer be able to enjoy the city dividends and high commissions brought by the large investment of Russian tycoons.
【Common residential areas in London】
What to do?
Therefore, everyone has noticed that the British Virgin Islands, the British Bermuda Islands, and the British Cayman Islands have upgraded their international financial services.
In fact, there are always only two cores of "upgrading": how to do better, more and more legal tax avoidance, and the other is a business that everyone knows.
【London's mid-to-high-end residences】
3. Cities are going bankrupt
First of all, a little tip: if you see a city's public website in the UK suddenly posting a Section 114 notice for that city, it basically declares the city bankrupt.
In September 2023, the city council and city council of Birmingham, the second largest city in the United Kingdom, jointly issued a Section 114 notice on their official website: The city of Birmingham declared bankruptcy due to insolvency.
【Birmingham, UK】
Two months later, in November 2023, the city of Nottingham, the second largest trading hub after London, also issued a Section 114 notice on its official website, officially declaring bankruptcy.
Any insolvent city that has issued a 114 notice, in accordance with the current law in the United Kingdom:
(1) The local government will stop most of the city's public services and related expenditures (think of urban heating, cleaning, etc.).
(2) Vulnerable groups can be forgiven and statutory services can continue to be paid (depending on the size of the debt).
(3) In the end, it will be solved (or may not be solved) through the sale of assets, a large number of layoffs, etc.
【Nottingham, UK】
Are people in Birmingham and Nottingham the only ones who are more upset? Not really.
Since 2020, six local governments in the UK, including Thurrock, Croydon, Slough and Northampton, have publicly issued Section 114 notices, declaring their respective cities officially bankrupt.
Maybe after these cities are cleared, the economic and debt crisis in various parts of the UK will be resolved?
According to the general prediction of the British media, if the economy and tax revenue cannot recover quickly, in the next 1-2 years, at least 20 or so cities in the UK will issue Section 114 notices.
However, there are only 66 municipalities in the UK (including 30 cities with large mayors), and this ratio may not only worry the British people, but also worry them.
Fourth, the gap is widening
The income disparity caused by industry differences, the public can still barely accept:
In May 2023, the Institute of Fiscal Research, a British think tank, conducted a comprehensive survey on people's average income and found that:
Not only did the energy sector gain – around 9.8% – but the average revenue in May 2023 was around £5,200.
The average earnings in the tech sector in May 2023 were around £4,400.
The average income in the administrative and support services sector in May 2023 was around £2,800.
Another high-paying sector is the infocomm industry, with an average income of around £5,100 in May 2023.
However, this comprehensive survey also points out the mystery of this, and almost all of the headquarters of large and medium-sized companies in the UK's energy, technology, and information and communication industries are located in the Greater London area.
【London Street View Architecture】
The income disparity caused by regional disparities is difficult for the British people to accept:
According to data from the Institute of Fiscal Research, a British think tank, in 2023, the Greater London area will lead the UK with an average monthly salary of about 4,203 pounds.
Since February 2020, average pre-tax income in Greater London has increased by around 5% to £4,203 per month, nearly double the average increase in the UK as a whole – which is only around 2.7% on average.
【Busy early morning】
Even around London, such as Cambridge, Essex, Surrey and many other areas close to London, residents living in these areas are likely to work in London, due to housing prices, rents and other reasons, they just live around London, and their average salary growth has reached about 4.5%.
The average monthly salary in other cities far from the London area, such as Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, is £2,504, £2,521 and £2,592 respectively, far lower than the £4,203 in Greater London.
【London Underground Finally Quieted Down】
Then the average income and average growth rate of people in Scotland, Northern Ireland and other regions are even more conceivable.
As for the overall wealth gap in the UK, the report only briefly describes, such as the widening gap between the richest and poorest people in the UK for the first time in nearly 20 years between February 2020 and May 2023.
[The geographical scope of Greater London is relatively extensive]
epilogue
In addition to half of the reasons for economic development, the other half of Northern Ireland's decision to "share its luggage and go back to its hometown" has a lot to do with the fact that Britain does not pay attention to domestic economic and welfare affairs, but only cares about being strong and calculating in international affairs.
So is Northern Ireland's thinking consistent with Britain's attitude in some particularly important international affairs? Just look at the attitude of Northern Ireland's relative, Ireland.
【Farms in Northern Ireland】
For example, condemning Israel, Ireland has publicly condemned Israel several times since November 2023. In April 2024, Simon Harris, Ireland's new prime minister, continues to condemn Israel and demand an immediate ceasefire in a public speech.
Does Britain's voluntary departure from the European Union count as a nuisance to the British people?
In fact, the UK does not receive much EU subsidies, but it is required to pay more "membership dues" and open up the domestic market, which will not benefit the British people much. And for the British political party, staying in the EU will not have much say - when Britain was bent on joining the EU, it was stuck at least twice by Charles de Gaulle in France at the time.
[Northern Ireland's tough shooter: it's legitimate]