The Government is promising the biggest shift of power from Whitehall to local leaders in modern times announced with every part of England to get a ‘London style’ powers and mayor if they wish to
The pledge comes as Michael Gove launches his much vaunted levelling up White Paper today which promises twelve bold national levelling up missions to be given status in law, with pledges to shift government focus and resources to Britain’s forgotten communities throughout 2020s
Domestic public investment in Research & Development is to increase by at least 40% across the North, Midlands, South West, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
The plan includes £100m of new government funding for “innovation accelerators” to boost research and development in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Glasgow City-Region.
By 2030, other missions will see the rest of the country’s local public transport systems becoming much closer to London standards, the large majority of the country gain access to 5G broadband and illiteracy and innumeracy in primary school leavers effectively eliminated focussing the government’s education efforts on the most disadvantaged parts of the country
Other missions will see hundreds of thousands more people completing high quality skills training every year, gross disparities in healthy life expectancy narrowed, the number of poor quality rented homes halved, the most run down town centres and communities across the country rejuvenated, a significant decrease in serious crime in the most blighted areas, and every part of England getting a ‘London-style’ devolution deal if they wish to.
Launching the White Paper Michael Gove said:
“The United Kingdom is an unparalleled success story. We have one of the world’s biggest and most dynamic economies. Ours is the world’s most spoken language. We have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any country other than America.
“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.
“Levelling Up and this White Paper is about ending this historic injustice and calling time on the postcode lottery.
“This will not be an easy task, and it won’t happen overnight, but our 12 new national levelling up missions will drive real change in towns and cities across the UK, so that where you live will no longer determine how far you can go.”
Labour have criticised the plans with Lisa Nandy said there was little substance in the new plans.
“Ministers have had two-and-a-half years to get this right and all we have been given is more slogans and strategies, with few new ideas.
“High streets will only thrive when people have money in their pockets to spend. We need good jobs, decent wages, genuinely affordable housing and action to deal with the unfolding cost of living crisis so people can spend on their high streets and young people no longer have to get out to get on.”
