A promise to level up the UK was a key part of the Tories’ election success. At a time when the party needs another political win, has the Government’s long-awaited white paper on the subject delivered? Telegraph columnist and co-host of our Planet Normal podcast Liam Halligan is disappointed.
He tells this week’s episode, which you can listen to using the audio player above, that the Conservatives’ announcement of twelve principle targets to tackle the country’s vast regional wealth imbalances doesn’t go far enough.
For Halligan, it’s proof that levelling up is, “a concept that hasn’t really developed from being what was a canny slogan.”
He tells podcast co-host Allison Pearson, “There isn’t really a thought through raft of policy proposals with funding that I think can be delivered before the next election.” Listen to the podcast to find out why.
Also on the show: Allison Pearson tells listeners why she will no longer defend her former colleague Boris Johnson and why this week’s events in the House of Commons left her “sickened”.
And Dr Steve James, the NHS doctor who went viral when he confronted Sajid Javid over mandatory vaccines for health workers, joins the podcast to celebrate the Government’s U-turn on ‘jabs for jobs.’
Listen to Planet Normal, a weekly Telegraph podcast featuring news and views from beyond the bubble, using the audio player above or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
