Sir, The report by the Policy Exchange think-tank has made the startling suggestion that the economic fortunes of northern English cities are best served by us all decamping to London (report, Aug 13).

I am an Oxford science graduate, happily employed in a successful Liverpool company and, like many others, enjoying a high-quality lifestyle in this fantastic city during its year as European Capital of Culture.

Thankfully, Whitehall’s empty promises of shipping government jobs from London to Liverpool have never materialised, as the prospect for us of thousands of Londoners moving here is, I imagine, as welcome as his suggestion of a million Scousers turning up in Islington.

On every level this story smacks of M25 parochialism; by the same logic are the economic woes of Hackney best served by moving its inhabitants to Manchester or Newcastle? I look forward to welcoming the members of Policy Exchange to Liverpool to explain his ideas further; he might wish to take notes from his mayor before taking the trip up t’North.

John Elcock
Liverpool

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