The most rapid economic growth relative to the EU-28 average during the period 2008–14 across NUTS level 2 regions of the EU was recorded in the Polish region of Mazowieckie, which includes the capital of Warsaw. GDP per capita in Mazowieckie was 17.1 % below the EU-28 average in 2008, but rose to be 8.4 % higher than the EU-28 average by 2014.

Not only is the UK’s performance mediocre, it is highly skewed by London and its environs. Indeed, no big EU-15 economy is as dependent on one region as the UK.

Per capita GDP in London is almost two-thirds higher than the UK average, and almost 2.5 times that of Wales, the UK’s poorest region. Apart from London, just one British region – the