So some cities have woken up to positive news this morning thanks to research by Centre for Cities but then some haven't.
Brighton, Milton Keynes, Reading, Cambridge and Edinburgh - are ranked as the top five centres "to watch" as the economy recovers because they have strong private sectors, high levels of entrepreneurship, highly educated workforces, and a large share of knowledge-intensive jobs to succeed after the recession.
But languishing at the bottom of the table and described as having "a tough outlook" are: Stoke, Burnley, Barnsley, Newport and Doncaster. Weaker business bases, loss of private sector jobs prior to the recession, and low business start ups are among the reasons given.
Not a great start to the week particularly for Yorkshire which has two towns in the bottom five: Barnsley and Doncaster. Neighbouring Humber city Hull also features heavily having had a large number of job losses.
Brighton, Milton Keynes, Reading, Cambridge and Edinburgh - are ranked as the top five centres "to watch" as the economy recovers because they have strong private sectors, high levels of entrepreneurship, highly educated workforces, and a large share of knowledge-intensive jobs to succeed after the recession.
But languishing at the bottom of the table and described as having "a tough outlook" are: Stoke, Burnley, Barnsley, Newport and Doncaster. Weaker business bases, loss of private sector jobs prior to the recession, and low business start ups are among the reasons given.
Not a great start to the week particularly for Yorkshire which has two towns in the bottom five: Barnsley and Doncaster. Neighbouring Humber city Hull also features heavily having had a large number of job losses.
Yorkshire capital Leeds is perceived as one of the five big hitters and how it recovers is seen as critical to the rest of Yorkshire. Also key will be how limited public sector resources are spent and where.
The report, unsurprisingly has garnered many column inches among the national press:
FT Online "The unofficial motto of the US state of Arkansas is "Thank God for Mississippi", since its neighbour keeps it off the bottom of most league tables for deprivation, employment rates and so on. England's 63 big cities could say the same of Hull. The Humber port routinely comes out worst in such lists, and the recession has only widened the gap."
Guardian "Party leaders need to wake up to the reality that some cities will still feel in the middle of a recession until well after the election," said the centre's director, Dermot Finch. "The next government needs to help these struggling cities fix the basics - like improving schools and public transport - so they can attract new business and jobs."
The Independent's leading column said: "What this research emphasises is a trend of uneven economic development in Britain that was discernible long before this savage recession struck. Those cities hit hardest were already suffering before the downturn took hold. They had shed private sector jobs through the years of strong growth, relying disproportionately on the public sector for employment. And they have long registered a low rate of business start-ups."
The report, unsurprisingly has garnered many column inches among the national press:
FT Online "The unofficial motto of the US state of Arkansas is "Thank God for Mississippi", since its neighbour keeps it off the bottom of most league tables for deprivation, employment rates and so on. England's 63 big cities could say the same of Hull. The Humber port routinely comes out worst in such lists, and the recession has only widened the gap."
Guardian "Party leaders need to wake up to the reality that some cities will still feel in the middle of a recession until well after the election," said the centre's director, Dermot Finch. "The next government needs to help these struggling cities fix the basics - like improving schools and public transport - so they can attract new business and jobs."
The Independent's leading column said: "What this research emphasises is a trend of uneven economic development in Britain that was discernible long before this savage recession struck. Those cities hit hardest were already suffering before the downturn took hold. They had shed private sector jobs through the years of strong growth, relying disproportionately on the public sector for employment. And they have long registered a low rate of business start-ups."
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