Hammond knows Britain’s regional imbalance is risky. Why didn’t he fix it? | Simon Jenkins

In the 2016 autumn statement the cities of the north have lost out, and all the spoils have gone to London and the south-east – again

The chancellor, Philip Hammond, is Theresa May’s chauffeur. It must be a ghastly job. He has to drive the economy towards Brexit, with no instructions, no map and no clear road ahead. Meanwhile, he has three blind mice in the back seat: David Davis, minister for I-haven’t-a-clue, Liam Fox, minister for what-on-earth-is-happening, and Boris Johnson, minister for...