
Chocks away
Rachel Reeves backed a third runway for Heathrow, reigniting a debate which has been going on for years. Yet Heathrow, when originally laid out in 1946, had six runways varying in length between 5,300 and 9,200ft: three pairs of parallel runways running east to west, north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west. As aircraft grew larger, there was less need for them to take off and land in alignment with the wind, but there was a need for longer runways. Heathrow gained its current layout in the 1970s when the east to west runways were extended to more than 12,000ft each, and three of the other four runways closed. One of the diagonal runways was retained for emergencies until it was eventually closed in 2002.
Vote of no confidence
Some 52% of respondents from ‘Gen-Z’ (aged between 13 and 27) said they agreed with the statement that ‘the UK would be a better place if a strong leader was in charge who does not have to bother with parliament and elections’. In which countries do people value democracy the most, and the least?
Percentage who say it is important to them to live in a democracy:
MOST
Ethiopia, Turkey 96
China 95
India, Egypt, Argentina 93
Nigeria 92
Italy 91
LEAST
Russia 65
Saudi Arabia 74
Pakistan 79
US 80
Japan, Ukraine 81
UAE, UK 82
Source: Open Society Foundations
Asset value
How wealthy are UK households?
– During the period 2020-22 the median net wealth of UK households (i.e. assets minus liabilities) was £293,700.
– Median household wealth varies between £179,900 in the north-east to £489,800 in the south-east. London, in spite of having the highest GDP per capita, had the fourth-lowest net household wealth, at £244,800, ahead of the north-east, north-west and Scotland. While GDP is based on where people earn their money, net household wealth figures are based on where they live.
– 40% of overall household wealth is property and 35% private pensions.

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