Government's Levelling Up vow will be difficult to achieve and inequality may DEEPEN, Michael Gove admits
09.05.2022 - 12:05
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The government's plans to provide equal opportunities across the UK have been made even more difficult by rising prices, according to Michael Gove.
The Levelling Up plan aims to improve opportunities across the country. The programme was set out by the Conservative party in their 2019 manifesto.
However, the cabinet minister for the strategy, Michael Gove, raised fears regarding the impact of rising costs after a BBC Panorama investigation raised questions about whether the money is reaching the most deprived areas in England.
READ MORE: What does 'levelling up' actually mean? Experts tackle the key Tory strategy that most people don't understand
As reported by the BBC, Mr Gove said his department was helping councils to ensure bids are effective, and that the government must stick to ensuring it delivers on its 12 "missions" for the Levelling Up policy - ranging from improving education to faster broadband capability to local transport - with a deadline for delivery in 2030.
"Unless we stick to those missions, then the cost of living issues that we face at the moment will deepen inequality," said Mr Gove.
Labour's Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Levelling Up Secretary, said the government should begin by focusing on getting inflation under control. "By their own admission, their mismanagement of the economy is going to make levelling up harder," she told the BBC.
It has been reported that £1.7bn has been allocated to towns and cities across the UK during the first round of the so-called Levelling Up Fund.
When Panorama sent FOI requests to councils in the 100 most deprived areas in England, it says it found that 28 councils had all their bids rejected. This allegedly included 18 areas that were on the government's top