Some good things, a few bad ones, some absences – and an opportunity missed not so much to level up Britain as to level with voters.
It now needs to get real. This is clearly the plan in the next few months, starting with the Queen’s Speech tomorrow, leading to the Levelling Up paper.
The Government can’t deliver levelling up without more supply-side change, localism and public service reform.
The final part in ConHome’s series this week on the future of the United Kingdom.
It’s not surprising that I do things differently, since I came to the role from a business background, rather than via the world of politics.
The third piece in a ConHome mini-series this week on industrial strategy after the pandemic.
With Brexit done and vaccinations continuing, a major mission will be Johnson’s commitment to deliver levellling-up.
The present social contract was written when the number of taxpayers well outstripped the number of retirees. But times have changed.
There is deprivation and lower educational attainment in the southern new towns, coastal communities, inner cities and rural coldspots.
The first of a ConHome series this week on Boris Johnson’s Reset Moment – and what should follow from it.
If they can’t make a real impact on the lives of working class voters in provincial seats, Johnson will meet the same electoral fate as Trump.
If if the higher education sector must take some further pain in the spending review, then the last option is the least bad.
We are allowing others to create a narrative for us, and in the absence of an agreed poverty measure and subsequent strategy, we always will.
The devolved Adult Education Budget ensures that every pound delivers more qualifications that employers actually want.
Our new Lifelong Loan Entitlement will give everyone the equivalent of four years of post-18 education to use over their lifetime.