Dear Editor,
I read Michael Heseltine's piece on "Leveling up" (The Guardian, 3rd. Feb 2022, link below) and, indeed, yes, it is probably true that local government structures need adjusting. But the whole topic leaves a rather sour taste in my mouth ...
In the 1970s, the shirt on your back and the TV in your living-room were probably made by someone in your own country. So you could legitimately talk about fair pay and conditions between regions and professions. Today, however, that shirt and that (wide-screen-super-hi-res-smart-) TV are certainly radically cheaper than in the 70s (comparatively) and, most importantly, are made on the other side of the planet by people who potentially work under bonded, wage-slavery conditions and where those industrial processes cause significant pollution and environmental degradation.
So where are those people in any "Leveling" discussion?
If The West fails to recognise this, then we need to declare ourselves morally bankrupt: We are hardly any better than that Mr Colston who got lobbed into Bristol Harbour!
Regards
