I have been telling the world that I need to emigrate; how can I stay in country where the weather is brilliant and our national sports teams are winning? Where’s the satisfaction in not having something to complain about! We British thrive on complaining about something or other and our main causes for gripes have been removed. This really is taking away all the fun of living in the UK. All we have is sunshine from dawn to dusk and a feel good factor about our national sides. We should all feel a lot happier but the British temperament says otherwise. Yes we can still say “It’s a bit hot for me” or “I prefer the rain” but it’s no substitute for having a proper cause to moan.

I was talking to an Australian living in Liverpool and I asked her about the weather. She confirmed that there really is something very special about a spell of good summer weather in the UK. What really gets her down about our climate is the short hours of sunlight in the winter. “It’s so dark” she said “but here in the summer the light just goes on for ever and with sunny weather like this day by day, it is perfect.” So for once let’s stop moaning and get on with enjoying one of the best spells of continued sunshine was have had for many a long time.

On the other hand, maybe not. I went to Manchester last week and foolishly decided to take the train. Thank goodness for Northern Rail. Here there really is something for the complaining spirit to get their teeth into. Not only was the train I went for cancelled but the one I did get 40 minutes later was then 30 minutes delayed into Oxford Road. Fortunately I had thought that I needed to give myself some spare time so in the end I was only 10 minutes late for my meeting.

Whilst Liverpool Lime Street is out of action, trains start at Liverpool South Parkway. This was to my advantage because I could be one of the first on the train and I actually got a seat. Sadly for those getting on after Hunts Cross it was cramped standing room all the way, including the very long wait outside Manchester caused by ‘congestion at Oxford Rd.’ “It’s always like this” said the person next to me. At least I am fortunate only to be an occasional early morning commuter. Those who pay for their season ticket really must be fuming which I suppose, on my analysis of the British character, must make them very happy indeed.

It’s four years since the concept of the Northern Powerhouse was coined and I wonder how much has really changed. Yes Northern Rail has some new rolling stock. They are the trains no longer felt fit for passengers in the South East. Southern Rail have got the spanking new carriages and we have the castoffs. Now I can really feel a good northern moan welling up within me. Why is it that London always treats us this way? Crossrail is nearly operational some £15 billion later but the hope of a decent transport system to link the northern cities is as distant a dream as ever.

At the moment we just seem to be going backwards. How different business life would be if Liverpool and Manchester were 20 minutes apart! The northern cities are doing well and this is exemplified by the ‘Festival of the North’ taking place in Newcastle and Gateshead but without better transport links we are up against it. Newcastle is three hours away even on a good run, an hour longer than the trip to London. None of this makes any sense. So I will try and quit moaning about the weather and the football team; but our northern transport system, now there’s something to keep the maudlin happy for a very long time!