The Conservatives swept to victory at the last election with a promise to “level up and unify” the country, and this year’s Levelling Up White Paper set out a long term plan to bring prosperity and civic pride to places where they have been lacking for decades. It marks a decisive shift away from “on yer bike” Conservative economic philosophy towards the politics of “going far and staying local”.
But how should Labour respond to the Tories’ newfound economic interventionism? What would Labour do differently to level up growth and belonging in places where they are absent? Given Labour’s electoral power increasingly resides in big cities, how much should a Labour campaign prioritise so-called “left-behind” towns?
This event would bring together senior Labour policymakers and activists for a discussion about what Labour’s answer to levelling up should be.
