Anon and I Welcome to Faketown
Nov 4, 2025
Join Marlowe, a top anonymous demographer, as he uncovers the hidden subsidies propping up failing towns like Middlesbrough. Explore the debate on whether these disguised financial lifelines create real productivity or just mask underlying economic issues. Delve into the shifting political landscape influenced by rising interest rates and the emergence of Reform as a powerhouse. The conversation also touches on youthful political energy and the struggle for left populism to resonate, as a new class consciousness among young professionals emerges.
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Hidden Subsidies Create 'Fake' Local Economies
- Marlowe argues large parts of the UK economy are "fake," propped up by hidden subsidies like university visas and disability schemes.
- These indirect subsidies create jobs and businesses that vanish if the underlying support is removed.
Regional Transfers Are Hidden Not Abolished
- There are large regional fiscal transfers that are disguised through indirect policies rather than explicit grants.
- This invisibility makes it politically and economically harder to see which places are truly productive.
Middlesbrough's Rise And Manufactured Fate
- Marlowe uses Middlesbrough's origin as a rapid industrial boomtown to illustrate manufactured local prosperity.
- He says Middlesbrough should be allowed to shrink while people move to genuinely productive places.
