What's 8K between friends?
It started in about 2008 and it has been a steady trend ever since. The gap between the growth productivity and equality of the UK and its rivals has widened dramatically.
It is now about £8,000 pounds for the average household, between the UK and the wealthiest similar economy. ,Even the French, always the target of scorn, are £3-4 thousand a year better off.
This appalling trend has continued for years mainly under a Tory government and no one mentions it. It is not part of the campaign for Tory leadership, it should be explained on the news as one major reason the energy and inflation crisis is so bad. It should be the focus of opposition attacks on a terrible government record, but it isn’t.
This is what you get when productivity collapses and growth is hindered and your rivals are more intelligent.
The answers are painful and slow. Education, training, investment, removing trade barriers and taxing more fairly.
Not tax cuts for the rich or slashing government spending again. It is perfectly possible to copy the best policies of France, Germany and the Netherlands- all you have to do is try.
Because this gap is going to get far worse if the government does nothing, or in fact introduces policies that actually make it worse.
Far, far worse
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.