THERE appear to be two different Britains when it comes to economic news.

The first is thriving. Yesterday, the monthly high street sales figures were released. They showed that the nation is still liberally spending money as if it doesn't have a care for the future - in some cases, money people don't actually have because the levels of debt have now reached the same levels as the late 1980s.

The second Britain is in recession. Today, we learn of the end of Sanyo in Newton Aycliffe. It appears as if the management at Sanyo has done all it can in trying to assemble a buy-out - but it wasn't a viable option.

This is, as its MP, Tony Blair says, a harsh blow. Yet another harsh blow following Glaxo, Corus and Plaxton.

Mr Blair also says: "I know the employment service and other agencies in the region will be making every effort to support those who are losing their jobs."

We also hope that those in government are making every effort to support the manufacturing sector which is in recession. This doesn't mean just expressing sorrow for the loss of hundreds of jobs. It means real money and real investment. It means reforming the Barnett Formula, it means moving Government departments out of the over-heated South, it means giving the region its head to develop its own strategy to solve its own very real problems.

While we do not want to talk the country into recession, if manufacturing doesn't get special assistance there are already signs that it will bring the rest of the country down with it. The two parts of Britain must act as one.