Parents all over the country will be familiar with the political slogans about ‘levelling up’, but the fact is that to make the UK economy fit for the future, every part of the country will need to be equipped with the necessary skills to handle new and emerging technology.

When it comes to coding, it should be noted that opportunities are being provided in the North and South alike. For instance, the Lancashire Telegraph has reported on the free computing clubs being provided for youngsters by Blackburn-based Jam Coding.

The classes are being provided for kids eligible for the Pupil Premium and free school meals in the summer holidays. They have been running in places like Chorley since Jam Coding was established in 2014 and will be expanded to Burnley and the Ribble Valley this year.

While that may mean things are not so grim up north for coding kids, it is a reminder to those down south not to be complacent. The good news is that there are coding classes for kids in London, so we can help ensure that children in the capital are as well equipped as any for a future in tech.

Overall, it is certainly true that the high-tech parts of the UK economy have become more geographically diversified. However, as a map produced by justentrepeneurs.co.uk has shown, London is still currently leading the way, followed by the south-east. By comparison, the north-west is in eighth among the UK regions.

However, if coding skills continue to improve in counties like Lancashire and not just in big cities like Manchester, this situation could change and perhaps add some substance to slogans like ‘The Northern Powerhouse’.

If London kids can rise to the same challenges in a world where coding skills matter, however, the tech sector in the capital will keep on powering forward, however well anyone else does.