‘We’re Northern, Not Stupid’ – An Interview with Justine McNichol
It’s safe to say that the North and South of England have a fairly acrimonious relationship. It only takes a brief skimming of the history books to recognise how divided the country has been culturally and politically, and to understand that deep-seated regional stereotypes continue to exert an insidious influence on how we identify, and how we interact with one another. The North of the country is often presented by national media as an amorphous wasteland and is condescendingly treated by London’s political elite as a rather stubborn and difficult place, undeserving of recognition or inclusion in national decision-making.
In contrast, the South, and more specifically London, is seen as a rich, exciting and progressive place, teeming with opportunity. As the nation’s capital this accolade is certainly accurate to an extent, but the attendant attitude of superiority and snobbery does grate on the Northern nerve. Unfortunately, the government’s handling of the pandemic has exacerbated these age-old resentments and many Northerners, including Justine McNichol have had enough.
On 14 December 2020 Justine posted to her personal Instagram a self-proclaimed ‘rant’ that clearly resonated with a lot of people. The post was a scream of frustration at the fact that the North had, yet again, been sidelined from important political discussion and were suffering at the hands of the government’s ineptitude and paternalistic elitism.
Since this post exploded on social media, Justine decided that something further had to be done. In an attempt to unite all those that shared her frustrations and create meaningful collective action, Justine created Love the North – an organization dedicated to supporting small Northern businesses and demanding that the North is fairly represented in national decision-making.
I caught up with Justine to ask her about how Love the North came to be and what she hopes they will achieve.
What was your motivation behind the Instagram post that ‘started it all’? Were you surprised by the reaction?
When I posted my initial rant on Instagram, it was nothing new to my friends and family. I have always felt very strongly about how the North is represented and treated, but I was still completely surprised and overwhelmed by the reaction the post received. I just wanted to express my anger and connect with other’s that felt the same. I think that people felt represented and that my feelings resonated with them. Feeling ignored by the government is something that is quite difficult to get into words, especially when there is such a complex history that informs those frustrations.
You mention the frustration that Northern people often feel at how their region is treated and perceived, and the historical precedent for this process of exclusion and condescension – Where do you think this North/South divide comes from?
This is a massive question, but I do know that it's not just as simple as geography. We live in a world where the gap between the richest 1% and the poorest 99% is bigger than ever and historically in this country, there has been a wealth and power divide between the North and South. When I refer to the South, usually the concentration is on London where those with power and influence continue to look after their own interests. I find it incredibly frustrating and offensive that the North continues to be relegated to a marginal position in this country and I think it is long past time for change.
As a Northerner myself, I have always felt that we have a very strong and proud collective identity. Do you also feel a bond to your regional heritage, and is being from the North a defining part of who you are ?
I have always found the idea of identity quite interesting as I was raised by a French mother and a Liverpudlian father. Growing up in North Yorkshire and having spent time living in other parts of the North, I've always felt at home around the people and always felt the sense of community to be really strong wherever I've been. It's hard to define exactly what makes it that way but I think the working class history of the North has built a sense of collective resilience which really resonates with me.
Tell us more about Love the North – what is the main project currently underway?
Love the North has now been incorporated as a Community Interest Company. We sell T-shirts, tote bags and other merch and the money raised from this contributes towards our Northern Small Business Emergency Relief Fund. You can also donate without buying merch, if you want to! This is our first fundraising project, and the money in this fund will go directly to small businesses in the North that are struggling during this pandemic, especially those that have really fallen through the cracks of what little government support has been available. We launched earlier this month and have already had hundreds of grant applications from small businesses. Each eligible application is assessed on an anonymous case by case basis by an independent panel. The aim is that this money will be able to assist in emergency situations, such as staff shortages, or important repairs. It is hopefully going to help those businesses that are really struggling to make ends meet and stay afloat during the pandemic and beyond.
Can you talk a little about your recent campaign regarding the North’s exit strategy from Lockdown 3.0. What do you hope to achieve?
It is still in the very early days but we are already starting to have some really important conversations with the right people. The campaign was born out of a frustration for the disproportionate nature of the Tier system going into lockdown so I think it's key that we make sure the same mistakes aren't made on the way out. The government have shown time and time again that they are unable to effectively communicate their localised strategies, leaving people feeling unheard, frustrated and ultimately unwilling to follow the rules that they don't have faith in. We are currently at the stage of identifying key partners to help us communicate with Westminster to ensure that any further localised lockdowns are proportional and are communicated effectively. We are also currently carrying out research to ascertain whether or not businesses in the North have received a fair amount of financial support considering the longer period of lockdown in most Northern areas.
What are your long term goals for the charity, post Covid?
Outside of Covid-19, we will continue to campaign to ensure the government sticks to their pledge to 'level up' the Northern economy. We will also provide direct grassroots support to small northern businesses and disadvantaged communities through a series of programmes which are currently still in development but will be announced on our website when they have been set in motion.
And finally, how can people help out?
You can get involved by volunteering! We have a huge team of volunteers, some offering 20 minutes each week, some offering multiple hours to work on various areas of the project. The website lists some of the key areas we need volunteer support with, especially blog writing, PR experience and videography but we are constantly looking for people with any skills that could assist us. As Love the North is entirely volunteer-run at this stage, I cannot emphasise enough how much people’s support means. Other ways to support are, of course, following us on social media and amplifying our voice by liking and sharing. Buying items from our shop, or donating directly to the Emergency Relief Fund are also hugely important.
If you want to find out more about Love the North, please check out their website and Instagram and share far and wide!
Title image by Justine McNichol
