The government has vastly underestimated what the public understands as ‘levelling up’
A year ago, the seemingly impossible happened. Rock solid, red wall Labour seats, like the ones I grew up in around South Yorkshire, voted for the Conservative Party led by an old-Etonian. It was not a result that many people saw coming.
It was an odd feeling to see the results come in but not directly be part of it, as it was also the first general election for 15 years that I had not stood in, having already announced I’d be standing down as an MP.
The 80-seat majority in Parliament Boris Johnson’s government secured, brought with it promises to level up Britain. But 12 months on, we have all watched as it’s been engulfed by dealing with a coronavirus pandemic.
Going into 2021, Boris Johnson faces both a choice and a risk if he wants to deliver on his promise and keep those seats he unexpectedly won.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/2019-election-levelling-up-boris-johnson-b1770187.html
Rt Hon Justine Greening
Founder, Social Mobility Pledge
Former Secretary of State for Education, Minister for Women and Equalities, Secretary of State for International Development, Secretary of State for Transport, Economic Secretary to the Treasury
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/2019-election-levelling-up-boris-johnson-b1770187.html