Public evidence does show meaningful north-south differences in Europe: an Oxford Handbook appendix using World Values Survey, Eurobarometer, and Transparency International data separates the British Isles, Nordic states, and Southern European states and shows different trust and corruption rankings, and a cross-European study reports that self-declared trust is higher in northern countries and lower in southern ones. (academic.oup.com) But the claim “There are some quite big cultural divides there” is too vague and subjective to verify as a precise factual statement, so I can’t confidently grade the size or extent of the divides from public evidence alone. (academic.oup.com) Sources: *The Oxford Handbook of Local and Regional Democracy in Europe* (https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38592/chapter/334666558); *Who trusts others more? A cross-European study* (https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/empiri/v41y2014i4p803-820.html).