Who Are Britain's 'Grousers' and 'Shiners'?

The North-east is easily the most optimistic part of Britain, according to a new analysis from the MORI Social Research Institute. People in the north-east are consistently more positive than most others on the economy, and most public services.

The North-east is easily the most optimistic part of Britain, according to a new analysis from the MORI Social Research Institute. People in the north-east are consistently more positive than most others on the economy, and most public services.

The analysis is of a wide range of surveys for the BBC Radio 4's 'PM Programme', looking at how perspectives vary across Britain. Again and again the north-east is markedly more positive about life and public services. We have christened them the 'Shiners'.

And as a general rule, the pessimistic people -- the 'Grousers' -- live in the higher waged but over-heating south east -- but not in London. They are among the regions consistently most dissatisfied with the Government, and pessimistic about the economy, public services overall, the NHS, education, public transport, policing and the environment.

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