Why is Britain poor

• What was Britain's economic status in Europe historically?

  Britain was once the richest country in Europe and second in the world.
• How do many British regions compare to Western Europe in terms of poverty today?

  Many British regions are near outliers in Western Europe in terms of poverty.
• How does Britain's per capita electricity generation compare to that of France and the US?

  Britain's per capita electricity generation is two-thirds that of France and a third of the US.
• What is the change in annual real wages for the median full-time British worker since 2008?

  Annual real wages for the median full-time British worker are 6.9% lower than in 2008.
• How does the GDP per capita of Americans compare to that of the British?

  Americans are 34% richer than the British in terms of GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power.
• What is the productivity difference between Americans and British workers?

  Americans are 17% more productive per hour than the British.
• How does British productivity growth from 2019 to 2023 compare to that of the US?

  US productivity grew by 7.6%, while British productivity grew by just 1.5%.
• What is the projection for Poland's economic status compared to the UK by the end of the decade?

  Poland is projected to be richer than the UK by the end of the decade.
• How many pages does the planning documentation for the Lower Thames Crossing tunnel span?

  The planning documentation spans 360,000 pages.
• How much did the planning documentation for the Lower Thames Crossing tunnel cost?

  The cost was £297 million.
• How does the number of homes in France compare to those in Britain?

  France has 37 million homes compared to Britain's 30 million.
• What is notable about the age and location of French homes compared to British homes?

  French homes are newer and more concentrated in prosperous areas.
• How many families in France own second homes compared to those in Britain?

  1. 4 million French families own second homes compared to 800,000 British families.
• How many tram networks does France have compared to Britain?

  France has 29 tram networks compared to Britain's seven.
• How many underground metro systems does France have compared to Britain?

  France has six underground metro systems versus Britain's three.
• How does the high-speed rail development in France compare to that in Britain since 1980?

  France has opened 1,740 miles of high-speed rail, compared to just 67 miles in Britain.
• What is the total length of motorways in France compared to Britain?

  France has nearly 12,000 km of motorways, while Britain has around 4,000 km.
• How does the motorway construction in France over the last 25 years compare to Britain's entire motorway network?

  France has built more motorways in the last 25 years than Britain's entire motorway network.
• How have Britain's industrial energy prices changed in the last 20 years?


  Britain's industrial energy prices tripled in under 20 years.
• What percentage of Britain's energy comes from nuclear power compared to France?

  Britain gets 12.5% of its energy from nuclear, while France gets 70%.
• How did Britain's energy production per capita compare to other countries until the 1960s?

  Britain used to produce more energy per capita than any other country except the US until the 1960s.
• What impact have energy costs had on British industry?

  Energy costs have forced industrial closures, such as the ammonia plant in Billingham.
• When did Britain's GDP per capita converge with the US, Germany, and France?


  Britain's GDP per capita had converged with the US, Germany, and France in the 1980s.
• What would Britain's average income be today if it had continued growing at the same rate as between 1979 and 2008?


  Average income would be £41,800 today instead of £33,500.
• How did Britain avoid the Great Depression in the 1930s?

  Britain avoided the Great Depression through massive infrastructure development, including the construction of 4,000 miles of electricity grid cables.
• What did the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) of 1947 introduce?

  The TCPA introduced strict development controls, limiting growth and exacerbating regional inequality.
• What are the three main obstacles to infrastructure development in Britain?

  1. Stringent Planning Laws: Complex requirements like "nutrient neutrality" and species protection.
  2. Disincentivized Local Authorities: Local authorities bear costs but receive little benefit from development projects.
  3. Costly Judicial Reviews and Consultations: High costs for judicial reviews and consultations inflate project expenses.
• What are the high costs associated with transportation projects in Britain?

  • Crossrail: £1.4 billion per mile, the second most expensive metro line.
  • British Railway Network: Half the railway mileage compared to 1914.
  • HS2: Construction costs up to eight times that of similar projects in Italy and France.