After the Partygate scandal, the Tory government is hoping to turn things around with its "comprehensive" plan to address inequalities and communities that feel neglected within the UK
The term 'Levelling Up' has been a buzzword in Boris Johnson ’s government with Michael Gove being appointed as the Secretary of State for Levelling Up. With an aim to "improve wellbeing in every area" across the UK, ministers have claimed they will be tackling schools, transport, broadband costs and crime levels.
However, the plans have already been slammed for using "recycled pots of money" and no new funding, despite what had originally been promised.
Gove told the BBC : "What we're doing is taking the money that's made available to my department and to others in the Spending Review and tilting it."
As well as failing to secure additional funding, Keir Starmer criticised the lack of new ideas when the plan was unveiled on Wednesday, February 3, 2022. He said: "Today’s set of repackaged, rehashed and recycled 'announcements' is yet another sign the Conservatives are out of ideas and out of energy."
Here's what you need to know about the long-awaited plan and how it could affect you if the promises are delivered by 2030.
What is Michael Gove's Levelling Up plan?
The Government describes Levelling Up as the “biggest shift of power from Whitehall to local leaders in modern times announced," with the aim to get every part of England to have “London-style” powers and a mayor if they wish to.
The plan was a key part of the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto and was based on the idea that people and communities which feel like they've been left behind should be given a chance to catch up. The policies in the plan are to be achieved by 2030.
On Tuesday, February 2, 2022, the Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove unveiled the Levelling Up White Paper. The document sets out the plan, which according to the government website, will "transform the UK by spreading opportunity and prosperity to all parts of it."
It aims to improve the well-being in every area, offer all parts of England the opportunity to have a Mayor, improve the quality of rented homes, significantly reduce crime rates by 2030 and implement a range of other initiatives.
Michael Gove said: "The United Kingdom is an unparalleled success story.
"But not everyone shares equally in the UK’s success. For decades, too many communities have been overlooked and undervalued. As some areas have flourished, others have been left in a cycle of decline. The UK has been like a jet firing on only one engine."
He explained that Levelling Up and the White Paper "is about ending this historic injustice and calling time on the postcode lottery".
The 12 Levelling Up missions outlined by the government
Despite being notorious for its U-turns, the Tory government has promised to deliver on 12 Levelling Up missions by 2030.
The government website states that these are:
1. By 2030, pay, employment and productivity will have risen in every area of the UK, with each containing a globally competitive city, with the gap between the top-performing and other areas closing.
2. By 2030, domestic public investment in Research & Development outside the Greater South East will increase by at least 40% and at least one third over the Spending Review period, with that additional government funding seeking to leverage at least twice as much private sector investment over the long term to stimulate innovation and productivity growth.
3. By 2030, local public transport connectivity across the country will be significantly closer to the standards of London, with improved services, simpler fares and integrated ticketing.
4. By 2030, the UK will have nationwide gigabit-capable broadband and 4G coverage, with 5G coverage for the majority of the population.
5. By 2030, the number of primary school children achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths will have significantly increased. In England, this will mean 90% of children will achieve the expected standard, and the percentage of children meeting the expected standard in the worst performing areas will have increased by over a third.
6. By 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK. In England, this will lead to 200,000 more people successfully completing high-quality skills training annually, driven by 80,000 more people completing courses in the lowest skilled areas.
7. By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by 5 years.
8. By 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing.
9. By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
10. By 2030, renters will have a secure path to ownership with the number of first-time buyers increasing in all areas; and the government’s ambition is for the number of non-decent rented homes to have fallen by 50%, with the biggest improvements in the lowest performing areas.
11. By 2030, homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime will have fallen, focused on the worst-affected areas.
12. By 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified, long-term funding settlement.
How will Levelling Up affect you?
The Levelling Up plan has goals aimed at shifting focus and resources to Britain’s forgotten communities.
Given the disparities seen across the UK in terms of pay, research and development and employment figures, the plan supposedly aims to reduce this inequality gap over the next eight years.
The changes propose increasing investment into research and development outside of South-East England to improve opportunities and productivity.
If the government's promises are implemented it could see a rise in 'levelling up' skills through initiatives like apprenticeships.
And, in February, 2022, the plan outlined a goal of having 200,000 people a year completing high-quality skills training by the end of the decade.
The government also claims it will have 22,000 civil servants based outside of London by 2030, which is aimed to allow for struggling areas to have more of a say in how investments are made.
Additionally, despite no extra money to build more affordable housing across the UK, the government has stated that the quality of rented housing will be improved.
When it comes to transport, the government claims public transport connectivity levels and service quality will be closer to that of London's by 2030. The Mirror Politics team has slated this claim given the promised £3bn of funding for bus services "appear to be roughly half of the cash promised".
