Steeped in history but all too often overshadowed by its neighbour Manchester, Oldham is frequently cited in both local and national conversations about ‘levelling up’.
But it also has an uneasy relationship with many of its residents and neighbours. Oldham has watched Manchester and even towns like Rochdale grow and bloom around it - but many people here feel that they have been left behind.
A new report from centre-right think tank Onwards UK analysed how levelling up can be implemented successfully outside of national government - essentially, how Oldham can use its existing resources to “level itself up” - and raises interesting questions about identity and transport in the town.
