Levelling up blueprint finally revealed
The prime minister will unveil the blueprint to level up the country today, as the long-awaited white paper is published.
The 400-page document is expected to outline the government’s plan to help “left behind” areas of the country, many of which supported the Conservatives in the 2019 election for the first time.
However, the white paper is likely to be criticised for not including new government funding. Key proposals include targets to reduce inequalities to be enshrined in law, 12 legally binding missions to improve health, living standards, transport, crime and wellbeing by the end of the decade, and greater devolution.
The prime minister will unveil the blueprint to level up the country today, as the long-awaited white paper is published.
The 400-page document is expected to outline the government’s plan to help “left behind” areas of the country, many of which supported the Conservatives in the 2019 election for the first time.
However, the white paper is likely to be criticised for not including new government funding. Key proposals include targets to reduce inequalities to be enshrined in law, 12 legally binding missions to improve health, living standards, transport, crime and wellbeing by the end of the decade, and greater devolution.
The prime minister will promise “the largest devolution of power from Whitehall to local leaders across England in modern times” by 2030, inviting nine English counties to apply for county devolution deals, including Cornwall and Durham. Some existing mayors will be offered further powers akin to those in London.
The document will also announce three “innovation accelerators” to boost local businesses in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Glasgow.
Twelve policy objectives will be put into legislation and overseen by a new levelling-up advisory council, to include Sir Paul Collier, an economics professor at Oxford University.
Leveling up secretary Michael Gove announced that Homes England will be repurposed to help regenerate town centres.
Gove said: “The UK has been like a jet firing on only one engine. Levelling up and this white paper are about ending this historic injustice and calling time on the postcode lottery.”
Lisa Nandy, shadow levelling-up secretary, said the plans would only “shuffle the deckchairs”, adding that instead of material change, all that was being offered was “new government structures, recycled pots of money and a small refund on the money this government have taken from us”.
The FT (£)
The Guardian
