Memo to an incoming Prime Minister Levelling up can bring together faster growth with protecting our environment

Levelling up is about the people already settled here, and about the villages,  towns and cities that have fallen behind in providing good jobs and sustaining decent incomes. Levelling up Conservative style is about helping people on their personal journeys, so it is possible for more people from modest backgrounds to set up their own business, get a well paid job, succeed in education and training,  buy  a good home and save for their old age.

It is also about place. Too much of our new housing is built in communities that already have plenty of good modern housing and have attracted people with above average qualifications on above average pay. Planning law should be changed to allow communities to decide how much additional housing they can accept, with a  view to less of this colossal investment going to already better off places and more to the places that need more money to circulate. If more executive homes are built in poorer communities they will attract more people with cash to spend and skills to share, people who can set up businesses or provide more better paid jobs.

Continuing educational reform is crucial to success. People who can read and write to good standards have much more chance of preparing themselves for better paid employment and more chance of gaining worthwhile qualifications. Getting housing right is also crucial to people’s journeys. Owning your own home gives you what is usually an appreciating asset, a pool of capital to fall back on, a financial stake in the community.

145 Comments

  1. Mark B
    July 27, 2022

    Good morning.

    To level is to make ‘equal’ or the same. But in the REAL WORLD we all know that is not possible. The various Communist regimes have all tried, and failed !

    To Level up is socialism, as socialism believes in the ‘equality’ of outcome. Capitalism however, believes in the ‘equality’ of opportunity.

    We all cannot go to Eton, Harrow, Oxford or Cambridge for our education, as we are not all ‘equally’ blessed with high IQ levels. But the opportunity is and should be there for those that can.

    If the government wants a more ‘level’ playing field then it needs to consider that, we are not all the same, and therefore, you will never create an equal society. Like socialism, this Levelling up nonsense is a failed ideology / policy.

    So what is the next hobby horse, more tractors ?

    1. Mickey Taking
      July 27, 2022

      we are not all blessed with parental money, and/or influence either.

      1. Hope
        July 27, 2022

        JR,
        Levelling up like those MPs who go to Oxbridge get in govt and those who do not hardly ever? Same for top civil service jobs. Why are so many selected of a left wing malleable nature irrespective of their intellect?

      2. a-tracy
        July 29, 2022

        MT – and those that are blessed with caring parents who give them money are affected at university, it is those children working as well as learning not the poor children of unworking parents. They can’t get grants they are often the ambitious ones doing degrees that attract the higher salaries that they are able to fully pay back their student loans, should they be made to feel bad that they have sensible, hard-working parents? They struggle to get scholarships because they don’t meet criteria or have connected parents within in the union movements or the upper echelons you talk of but it makes them tougher, more resilient and more determined to do well.

        We’ve never had 1p from our parents, in-fact, I have helped my parents and my grandparents when they were alive. I also help my children and don’t give a stuff what other people think about that because if I choose not to have takeaways, don’t smoke or drink, don’t have sky subscriptions or even regular holidays abroad, chose a reasonable priced home in a poor area and prefered to invest that saved money expenditure in my offspring, then that is a conservative way, and it gives me great joy that I am able to do that, it is no business of The Guardian to make people feel bad about that yet have preachy little pieces about poor women who haven’t worked ever and now don’t want to – I’d tell them to train as carers if that is what they have enjoyed doing caring for their own autistic children that have left the nest and get a full-time job now, never mind a part-time job so you don’t lose all your benefits! Your benefits were there to provide for your children, not keep you forever.

  2. DOM
    July 27, 2022

    Levelling Up is a political scam designed to achieve something very different from its stated purpose so we can dismiss this political invention

    And education. Well, the Marxist teaching unions now control the vicious indoctrination of children. Indeed the Marxist unions control most areas of the State and have become a threat. Even Michie has just landed a top job with the now parasitic WHO with Tedros appearing to think he’s some kind of Demi-God. Who the hell gave this CCP supported grifter such authority?

    If the Tory party doesn’t stand for freedom of the individual from State oppression then it stands for nothing.

    Please, we only ask that the party condemns and opposes Neo-Marxism and its authoritarianism that is ripping our freedoms to pieces

  3. Bloke
    July 27, 2022

    People who work steadily to improve their capabilities and buy their own home normally add quality and value to wherever they live. They tend to look after their neighbourhood much better. In contrast, others who waste their time and money on worthless and illegal choices often spoil wherever they go.

    Graffiti is a signal of blight and danger developing. Liz Truss should act to wipe it out efficiently. Anyone can set a camera to photo any new sign with a time stamp & send it to a national website.

    Local authorities, pensioners, prisoners or anyone else could analyse and match location patterns with sources, gaining rewards for success. Something so simple could remedy the blight on neighbourhoods rapidly at minimal expense. It could level up the quality of the environment for all.

    1. Mark B
      July 27, 2022

      Agreed. Although not all home owners can, or will look after their homes.

      Graffiti is a signal of blight and danger developing.

      When looking for somewhere to live I always use to look at lamp posts (usually the first victims) to see if any graffiti is on them. A good sign of what an area is like.

  4. Peter Wood
    July 27, 2022

    Good Morning,

    Sir J, can you point to an initiative anywhere in the country that has been brought about solely by the ‘Levelling Up’ policy?

    PS, I am relieved to note that David Davies backs Mr Sunak, therefore we can look forward, with some trepidation, to a lady as PM in September.

  5. Nottingham Lad Himself
    July 27, 2022

    Some places have good housing.

    Some places have modern housing.

    The two relatively seldom coincide.

    1. Peter2
      July 27, 2022

      Like Hamstead or Chelsea and Kensington NHL ?

    2. a-tracy
      July 29, 2022

      NLH not sure where you are talking about here Martin? Which place Nottingham or an area in Wales have no areas with modern good housing can you give an example?

  6. Wanderer
    July 27, 2022

    I’m from a somewhat deprived South Coast Town, it’s not an affluent place. But here too, the vast majority of homeowners are NIMBYs.

    I arrived in 1963, when the locals welcomed incomers. By the mid 1970s that changed, and every fresh wave of development since has bought more houses with owners who instantly become NIMBYs.

    So I think these mysterious places where people will welcome development are going to be hard to find.

    For me “levelling up” should focus on reducing regulation, to facilitate employment and self employment. That would help the people living here.

  7. Nigl
    July 27, 2022

    Re your comment about grown ups, don’t forget to link the epithet ‘populist’ namely us liberal elites know far more than the plebs.

    Cameron called UKIP supporters swivel eyed loons.

    It is like when politicians are caught doing something they shouldn’t, say criminal. The attacks are always ‘political’

    It’s called ‘playing the man (woman) not the ball’ and the public see right through it.

  8. Lifelogic
    July 27, 2022

    “Owning your own home gives you what is usually an appreciating asset, a pool of capital to fall back on, a financial stake in the community”

    Well only after a while and if its value does rise. Initially with the very high stamp duty rates and other costs of buying legal, valuation, agents
 then it destroys a lot of the capital you had. As I have said before you if you have no capital you either rent a house or you rent the money to buy a house. You either pay rent or you pay interest (rent on the money plus maintenance cost, insurance, service charges). Stamp duty should be zero it destroys job mobility and means it is not attractive to buy unless you are staying put for several years. But people never know this as circumstances and jobs change.

    Owning is only good when prices are rising significantly and interest rates are not rising to much.

    if you do move and want to rent it out while you are elsewhere the appalling net red tape and tax laws (that tax you on profits and gains not actually made thanks to the appalling Osborne) make this very fairly unattractive too.

    1. rose
      July 27, 2022

      You are quite right, LL, about stamp duty being a disincentive to moving or downsizing. It used to be the case that council tenants were trapped, unable to move, but now the propertied are too. And the ruling class solution is to have more council tenants! Just abolish stamp duty, and VAT on home improvements and maintenance.

      1. Mark
        July 28, 2022

        Also trapped are those on part ownership schemes, as they can rarely afford the hit of having to hand over a large chunk of capital appreciation on the share they are still renting for which they get no value. The effect is like a super CGT. CGT acts as a big disincentive for landlords considering selling up too.

        1. Lifelogic
          July 28, 2022

          Indeed far better to purchase outright. Part ownership schemes with housing association can be far more expensive and are hugely restrictive too in terms of subletting, building work and when you want to sell. I would almost never encourage people to take one unless really desperate.

  9. Lifelogic
    July 27, 2022

    The main problems in the UK is the incentives to work are so low for most people, relative to just living on benefits and having far more time. This made worse by vast tax increases from Sunak, higher fuel and thus commuting costs and with pay also falling behind inflation but benefits increasing.

    1. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      No, you’re out of date. Sunak the Oxford and Harvard-trained so-called brilliant economist now thinks cutting taxes isn’t immoral, or perhaps he just wants to be immoral and cut taxes?
      The guy is clearly a complete dolt.

      Probably more justification for leaving the UK with him in charge than Starmer.

      1. Mickey Taking
        July 27, 2022

        not quite the 2 words I’d use.

      2. Donna
        July 27, 2022

        The final nail in his electoral coffin for me was the statement that he listens to his 9 yr old when it comes to Net Zero/energy….. which he seemed to think was a positive.

        Does he really think we want a brainwashed 9 yr old making up Energy/Environmental Policy?

        1. Mark
          July 28, 2022

          Not convinced that the supposed adults actually doing it are making a good job. Pleased to see that the BEIS Select Committee are beginning to notice. It’s taken them long enough.

    2. No Longer Anonymous
      July 27, 2022

      +1 And the student tax on STEM. By they time they get to mortgageable wages they are on high tax (aka student loan/debt) and have already lost years of earnings.

      The one to have done best in the younger generation of our family is the woman who got herself a baby to a male anon when she was 14. Two-bed house, car, dog, mod-cons … the lot. All gifted to her on the state and she brought up her kid so badly that she’s been diagnosed with ADHD and gets fast passes in theme parks etc (because she kicks off if she’s forced to wait in queue.)

      The professionals are still living in houses of multi occupancy and paying through the nose for it.

      This all happened under 12 years of Tory rule and is going stronger as benefits go up while wages stagnate.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        July 27, 2022

        NLA. I agree. I know 2 young girls from the same family. One has 3 chikdren. Two have recently been in care. While in care she had another baby and the father is nowhere to be seen. Her sister has a year old child and is pregnant again and her partner is in prison. Both have cars and both have nice houses paid for by the state. One has two dogs. There are working people who cannot afford to sensibly have children.

        1. Lifelogic
          July 27, 2022

          Indeed. They system encourages this and these mothers are probably behaving fairly rationally given the idiotic ax and benefit system that pertains. Others cannot afford children probably because they are paying taxes to fund other people’s many children and lifestyle.

      2. Sir Joe Soap
        July 27, 2022

        This is what you get by Sunak types going moral and holding wages down but indexing benefits.

        1. Lifelogic
          July 27, 2022

          Indeed – but what is moral about so many people living off the backs of others.

        2. a-tracy
          July 29, 2022

          Sir Joe, Sunak was chancellor from 2020 to 2022; in that time, the NLW rose and the age you could get the bigger figure dropped.
          In 2019 the NLW was ÂŁ8.21 from 25 years
          In 2020 ÂŁ8.72 from 25 years 6.2% increase when inflation was low – this pushed up differentials.
          In 2022 ÂŁ9.50 from 23 years, 6.6% up on the previous year.

  10. Narrow Shoulders
    July 27, 2022

    Changing planning laws to allow communities to decide how many more houses can be built in their area is a worthies charter Sir John.

    The chattering classes can pontificate and demand that we provide unlimited immigration to provide them with baristas and nannies but never have to suffer the consequences of strained services and limited housing. We should put these incomers up in their gardens not preserve their ivory towered lifestyles. That may give them pause for thought.

  11. margaret
    July 27, 2022

    There is an outdated educational issue that makes those who held a said better degree 30 years or more ago a life times justification for todays standards. It is so inappropriate to hark back to study as a teenager or early twenties tagged with the perception that it somehow makes them superior and represents a life time of work .For example some comment that he/she only took a certain type of degree and it is seriously said that these degrees and the clumped together people who study in this mode are inferior insofar as their understanding and knowledge is concerned. John you mention a personal journey. It seems to me that these folks stopped travelling at graduation !

  12. Ian Wragg
    July 27, 2022

    With uncontrolled immigration we are levelling down. In true socialist fashion we go for the lowest common denominator.
    Our quality of life is being ruined by overloaded public services which we are taxed to the hilt to fund. We have far to many non contributors.

    1. Mark B
      July 27, 2022

      +1

  13. Berkshire Alan
    July 27, 2022

    Interesting comments John, and I certainly agree levelling up should be about levelling opportunity, so with that in mind, why is our education system fixated with academia and paper qualifications, instead of giving a good grounding in general education of the basics, so people learn not only useful life skills, but skills to be able to work as well.
    When people learn to read, write, and do maths well, so many more opportunities open up, when lessons are relevant to day – day living and problem solving, they become so much more relevant and interesting, that people learn more easily.
    When you can enjoy reading well, your horizons and interests expand, people then complete their own further education dependent upon their own particular interests, not the force fed syllabus of “the system”
    Why do all Government Chancellors of the last 40 years seem to dislike the self employed, and the free thinkers of this World, trying to control them with punitive taxation and regulation, as they are simply strangling those who are trying to move forward under their own initiative.
    Levelling up starts with the Government being rather freer in their own thoughts, and allowing us to lead the sort of lives we want, not what they want.
    Let us look at so called “FEEEPORTS”, they are not free at all, just look how long the planning is taking, look at all of the regulations and controls they want to put in place.
    Over Government is the problem, not the solution.
    Yes of course we need some rules and regulations, but for goodness sake let them be rather more of a general nature than specific and in absolute fine detail.
    The present tax system is a great example of all that is wrong with current government thinking, given it needs 22,000 pages of explanation !

  14. Lifelogic
    July 27, 2022

    If you do buy a property using a large mortgage but then for job or other reasons have to move you might decide to rent the house out and use the rent to rent another place for yourself. But if your rent yours out yours for say ÂŁ1000 PCM and then rent another for yourself at ÂŁ1000 you might think you will break even. But you will actually usually be far worse off. Letting agents fees say 10%+VAT on rents on both homes and then the Osborne’s 100%+ tax rules (on deduction of interest costs) might well leave you worse off. Then all the red tape of gas and electric safely etc. each year, EPC insulation standards, to be met… Furthermore the CGT tax later on any sale at 28% without any indexation against inflation can be a very large hit too. Plus there is always the risk the tenants stop paying and the UK court system is fairly useless, expensive and slow.

    Quite likely the tax and costs will leave you circa ÂŁ500+ a month worse off this out of your taxed income. This might mean you new job has to pay about ÂŁ10,000 more than the old one just to break even. The current levels of tax are far too high and totally irrational. Often a huge incentive not to work and very damaging to job mobility, tax receipts, incentives & to the economy.

    1. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      This so-called investment move has turned from being just an income tax hit with the prospect of a small capital gain to a far more expensive and risky hit from regulations and charges. Avoid.

  15. Sea_Warrior
    July 27, 2022

    There’s been some reporting suggesting that ‘Levelling-up’ will be a casualty of the change in PM. I hope that this won’t be the case. ‘Levelling-up’ is a good idea and the Conservatives should keep an eye open for any geographical community that is falling behind. May I suggest that Chatham would make a good case-study right now. Perhaps it (and Sheerness) should be included in the Thames free-port.

    1. rose
      July 27, 2022

      May I suggest a little attention is paid to the South West. They aren’t even having a debate in Bristol. Written off as a lost cause, presumably.

  16. Roy Grainger
    July 27, 2022

    “Planning law should be changed to allow communities to decide how much additional housing they can accept”

    Well let me tell you what will happen – communities will decide they don’t accept ANY additional housing so none will be built. The people who want the housing don’t live in the local community so get no say. This is just a NIMBY charter put into law.

    Likewise Truss and Sunak saying they’ll allow fracking with the consent of the local community. The local community WON’T consent. So no fracking.

    1. Donna
      July 27, 2022

      The local community might consent if they were offered a big enough inducement: say 50% off their energy bills for 5 years.

      Likewise, communities might consent to house-building if the Local Authority pledged that the Council Tax currently in force in the affected area would be kept the same but divvied up between the enlarged community, so each house would get a significant reduction.

  17. , George Brooks.
    July 27, 2022

    Your first paragraph describes exactly what we would all like to see happen but it isn’t led by housing. It is industry and business that needs to be attracted first and the houses will follow. House builders big and small go where they can make the most money.

    Levelling up comes from within so it is the local authorities and councils that need sorting out to make their area attractive and easy to start a business or open a factory. Once the seed is sown then it is the time for central government to put in an up-to-date communication network of road, rail and air transport.

    A lot gets strangled at birth with stupid local regulation

  18. Lifelogic
    July 27, 2022

    You say “People who can read and write to good standards have much more chance of preparing themselves for better paid employment and more chance of gaining worthwhile qualifications”.

    Indeed but people who can do practical jobs plumbing, building, gardening, fixing cars, farming, driving trucks, roofing, electrics, unblocking drains do too. People with ÂŁ50K of student debt plus interest at 7% and a degree in women’s studies and diversity from perhaps the ex poly of Bognor and delusions of their abilities less so. Unless they get a pointless state sector job for the dire NHS as diversity officers or similar! So that real workers have to pay vast taxes to carry them.

    1. Lifelogic
      July 27, 2022

      The solution is to cull all loans for worthless degrees and scale back universities hugely. Let people pay for their own hobbies. Learn on the job, have day release and night school and earn while you learn something that is in demand.

      Undo all the dire things Blair (mainly), Brown, Cameron/Cleg, May and Boris/Sunak have done.

      Can anyone tell me one positive thing PM Blair did in his ten years? Damaging wars on lies, botched devolution and legal reforms, the US extradition acts, vast expansion of worthless degrees, huge tax increases, endless government waste, burying us further into the EU, appointing the appalling Gordon Brown…

      1. Wanderer
        July 27, 2022

        Absolutely agree with your first para, Lifelogic.

        I studied nights to take the professional exams to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor. 3 years’ slog while learning the ropes on the job, full time, and a year’s further training. Shortly afterwards the RICS decided Surveying would become a “degree entry only” profession.

        So as well as night schools being provided we’d have to get professional bodies to scrap their lazy “degree entry only” barriers.

  19. Dave Andrews
    July 27, 2022

    Housebuilding in the south east also makes the water situation worse. There are concerns the fresh water available won’t be enough, plus the water companies already can’t cope with the effluent and discharge it untreated.
    The first restriction on mains water supply should be no more houses can be connected to it until the shortage problem is solved.

    1. The Prangwizard
      July 27, 2022

      Complaints about water shortages and much blame levelled. Now the very same complainants oppose solutions. Near Abingdon alongside the Thames for years Thames Water have wanted to build a reservoir – guess what – it has not been built and the politicians in authority are too timid to push hard for it.

      Those very same people are I think saying building would be bad for the environment but are content with immigration and more houses. They have many definitions of the word. What’s the word – hypocrisy?

      I believe Sir John is a supporter but he is not taken seriously either.

  20. Lifelogic
    July 27, 2022

    Truss last night said “this inflation is a global problem” not remotely true dear.

    It is far worse in the UK due to the net zero religion, the extended lock down, Sunak’s money printing & currency debasing, the vast Sunak tax increases from a very high base already, a moronic energy policy, lack of fracking, drilling and mining, blowing up coal power stations, vast subsidies for intermittent wind and solar, excessive red tape…

    1. Lifelogic
      July 27, 2022

      Politician usualy say things that are either so obvious as to be not worth saying like “we want an efficient, coordinated, reliable, integrated, cost effective, clean, comfortable, safe… transport system” (who wants the opposite?) or clear lies like “this inflation is a global problem” – no mainly net zero lunacy, vast tax increases, minimum wage increases, the bonkers extended lockdown, vast government waste like HS2, test and trace and the huge currency debasement by money printing Sunak.

  21. Cuibono
    July 27, 2022

    Hello
 I’m from the Government and I’m here to help!
    Help to get a degree that is of no value.
    Help to get into debt.
    Help to make jobs so utterly unpleasant you can’t bear to even walk through the main entrance.
    Help to set you up in a business which will then be strangled by red tape.
    Help to buy a home which will then be made unaffordable and impossible to heat or cool.
    Help to save for an old age of inflation and ultra low interest rates.
    Help to render your environment unrecognisable and alien.
    Help to force a lifestyle on you that you never wanted and then change the rules.
    Help to pay for a health system that the government then shuts down.
    Help to remove all your “inalienable rights”
    NO MORE HELP THANKS!

    1. Cuibono
      July 27, 2022

      Oh and I forgot

      Help to give our country away to anyone who wants it!

    2. Mickey Taking
      July 27, 2022

      and guess what? – the electorate are all thinking ‘HELP !’.

      1. glen cullen
        July 27, 2022

        +1

    3. Mark B
      July 27, 2022

      +1

    4. Lifelogic
      July 27, 2022

      +1

  22. Nigl
    July 27, 2022

    And in other news gas prices surge whilst this criminally inept government still sits on its hands re fracking.

    1. glen cullen
      July 27, 2022

      Please start fracking for shale gas TODAY

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        July 27, 2022

        Glen. Or even yesterday. They should have started years ago. We are in this mess thanks to government.

        1. glen cullen
          July 27, 2022

          What are they scared off, maybe a slap on the wrist from the UN

  23. Lifelogic
    July 27, 2022

    Form the dailysceptic.org – There have been 10,153 excess non-Covid deaths registered in England and Wales in the last 12 weeks, the latest official data show. But the Government refuses to investigate why?

    Why indeed what are the causes surely easy to find out? The dire NHS failing to treat people competently and rapidly, hours waits for ambulances, the large numbers of (ineffective and often v. dangerous) Covid vaccine damaged people, suicides, alcohol, late diagnosis and delayed treatments
 surely the government should at least be finding out what is going on here.

    1. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      It’s all gone quiet, hasn’t it?
      Apart from hearing that hospitals are overloaded (presumably those Nightingale and private hospital passes bought up in the so-called pandemic are also now bulging with NHS patients? No?), we don’t hear any figures on the Covid dead and dying, whether there are more or less deaths now than expected? How’s it all going with care homes? Must be enormous gaps and human resources freed up where people passed away before their time in the pandemic? Billions saved? No?
      Some facts and figures would be nice.

      1. Richard II
        July 27, 2022

        Sir Joe, you can follow the official figures at https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths
        The ONS shows data by local area/health authority. Where I live, deaths with Covid on the Death certificate have been negligible for months now, as has serious illness with Covid (‘Patients in ventilation beds’).

        With Covid, I find it best to go to ONS figures, now published weekly, and not bother with media hype. I gather not all countries are lucky enough to have such informative publicly available statistics.

    2. Christine
      July 27, 2022

      There was a man from the ONS on GBnews explaining how the non-covid deaths had surged but nobody was investigating why. I think we know why.

      A doctor I follow on YouTube showed the UK ONS data and he was immediately banned and his video removed. Why is social media allowed to censor valid data? Who are they working for?

      1. Lifelogic
        July 28, 2022

        +1

  24. Mickey Taking
    July 27, 2022

    What practical steps and measures have been taken to assist in levelling up? Where has this wish actually achieved anything? How does it differ from the commonly held hope that generations will do better in life than their parents/grandparents?

  25. Christine
    July 27, 2022

    You seem to think that house building is only happening in the South of England. This isn’t true. I live in the North and we have had hundreds of thousands of new homes built within a ten-mile radius of where I live. The problem is that building these houses has come with the loss of thousands of jobs. Why, because the Civil Service was the main employer in the area. The government sold off five large sites and moved the jobs to the cities under their Power House of the North con. People in this area weren’t able to follow these jobs to their new location. Another big industry in our area is farming. Acres of prime grazing land has been taken by developers for new builds. We have no new facilities and to get a doctor’s appointment now takes weeks.

    This isn’t levelling up it’s levelling down and I think that’s the intention of this Government under instruction from the WEF.

    When will this Government understand that we don’t want or need hundreds of thousands of immigrants coming into our country every year? At every election, you promise to control it yet fail miserably. This is either by design or incompetence. Time to stand aside and let someone else tackle the issue.

    1. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      You clearly don’t live in coastal Northumberland or the Borders.
      Massive demand for workers in hospitality. Kids have nowhere to live due to no houses, so wander off down south. I think it’s the same in most of our coastal and tourist regions. No new houses. Stupid govt. legislation needing gas certificates, EPCs above B, electrical certs, eviction rules, etc etc, mean people aren’t letting long term any more. Perhaps hotels partly to blame for monetising their previous staff accommodation, but basically there are jobs and lives waiting to be filled in sparsely populated areas.

      1. Christine
        July 28, 2022

        No, I don’t. I live in the North West. We have a massive number of new builds.

    2. Fedupsoutherner
      July 27, 2022

      GB News were highlighting what is going on last night regarding food and travel etc. Apparently Schipol airport gave been ordered to reduce the number of flights by 12% due to climate change. Farmers in the Netherlands have been told to stop farming so many animals. Apparently it’s bad for us to eat meat now and insects are the way forward. The things we used to enjoy are going to be so expensive only the rich will be able to afford to carry on as normal. We will be priced out of the market and what with freedom of speech gping and woke coming in its clear to see the great reset is already happening. What better way to control us than through pandemics, food and energy?

      1. Wanderer
        July 27, 2022

        What better way indeed, FUS. I would add digital currency (much talked about) and tracking apps (already used in China, and being trialled in Germany).

      2. R.Grange
        July 27, 2022

        Clear to see indeed, FUS, unless people watch or read media that don’t want them to see it.

        Some countries still have democratic institutions that allow political debate, such as the US, where Sen. Manchin is blocking Biden’s NWO Build Back Better scheme, which would cost more than $500 billion. We won’t see anything like that in post-democratic Britain, I fear.

      3. glen cullen
        July 27, 2022

        Madness utter madness
        Governments are losing the plot, forgeting who they serve

  26. Bill brown
    July 27, 2022

    Sir JR

    Well written and argued

  27. APL
    July 27, 2022

    JR: “Levelling up can bring together faster growth with protecting our environment”

    All this government seems capable of doing, in its slavish adherence to the Davos/WEF agenda, is to make people poorer. It has just cost BP ÂŁ20bn and Shell ÂŁ10bn now we hear that BAT has ‘written off’ GBP957 million impairment charge related to the transfer of its Russian business following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

    ÂŁ20bn, here, ÂŁ10bn there, ÂŁ1bn over there, pretty soon you’re talking big money.

    Just in case people are worried about the welfare of our ‘honourable’ MPs and the ‘Lords’, they’re OK Jack, just bunged themselves an extra ÂŁ2K of your money.

    When do we get performance related pay for MPs?

    1. APL
      July 28, 2022

      APL: “When do we get performance related pay for MPs?”

      These are some of the things MPs should get a bonus for:-

      Unfettered indiscriminate immigration.
      Raising taxes.
      Raising NI – AKA taxing jobs.
      Increasing the scarcity of Natural gas, thus leading directly to higher energy prices for domestic and industrial users. – John Redwood, might dimly remember something about ‘market forces’, but probably not. Doubtful many in the ‘Conservative’ party know anything about that subject.
      Sending ÂŁbillions to the money laundering and arms black market otherwise known as Ukraine.
      Pursuing a non diversified energy supply policy – for example concentrating on Natural gas ( because it was cheap now ) and uneconomic at market rates windfarms at the expense of for example Nuclear power or coal fired electricity.
      Raising energy prices for industry – leading to uncompetitive industries.
      Offshoring energy intensive industries, to the Far East and China, then belligerently confronting our primary supplier of such items.
      Falling GDP

      Yes, if the goal is to ruin the United Kingdom and destroy its societal integrity. The Parliamentary Tory party deserves a pay rise.

    2. Mitchel
      July 28, 2022

      Russian entrepreneurs are buying up these departing western businesses for Kopeks on the Ruble!

      I note the Japanese are being far more sensible only 5% of Japanese companies operating in Russia have completely pulled out.

      1. APL
        July 28, 2022

        Mitchel: “I note the Japanese are being far more sensible only 5% of Japanese companies operating in Russia have completely pulled out.”

        Japan is in a bit of a quandary. Do they side with an increasingly bellicose ( with regard to China ) USA and risk alienating it’s much larger neighbour, or do they ‘bury the hatchet’ and work with China to improve the Japanese economy to the benefit of Asia.

  28. glen cullen
    July 27, 2022

    Levelling-Up isn’t measureable and is therefore meaningless without a success criteria
    This government should concentrate on the basic delivery of needs and leave the concept of ‘social-engineering’ to Labour and the Communist parties
    Maybe this government should review the inequities of the regional and local government funding
.and stop instructing local governments to spend resources and funds on net-zero, wokeness, BLM, regional mayors, police commissionaires and diversity officers etc

  29. Gary Megson
    July 27, 2022

    I wonder if you could clarify what you and your fellow ERG members will do if Mr Sunak wins? Will you accept that the members think tax cuts are foolhardy, that implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol is better than a trade war and that it is time to stop banging on about immigration, or will you seek to undermine him with your ideological nationalist posturing in the same way you did Major, Cameron and May?

    1. Lifelogic
      July 27, 2022

      Well he clearly will not.

      1. APL
        July 28, 2022

        Lifelogic: “Well he clearly will not.”

        What does it matter? Tories are being given the choice between an ignorant warmonger, WEF placeman, and an ignorant not so belligerent WEF placeman.

        Whichever the party chooses, Britons are likely to go cold and hungry this winter.

    2. Roy Grainger
      July 27, 2022

      Some of Rishi’s merry band have already said that if Truss wins they’ll continue working to undermine her policies, just as some of them worked to undermine some of Boris’ policies on the NI Protocol and Rwanda. Will those people ever accept the results of a vote they lose ?. And why didn’t you mention them too ?

    3. formula57
      July 27, 2022

      @ Gary Megson – would the reaction not be fashioned by the scale of a Sunak win at all?

      Were his win to be by 52-48 per cent. for example, then could the ERG (or anyone) claim that meant there was no legitimacy and a new vote was needed? If there was not a new vote, would a prolonged sulk and endless tiresome, futile whinging be seen as appropriate?

  30. oldwulf
    July 27, 2022

    ” ….with a view to less of this colossal investment going to already better off places …”

    During my lifetime London has been sucking the life out of the rest of the UK. This will be difficult to stop let alone reverse.

    I’ve heard it said that HS2 should be built north of Birmingham before it is built south of Birmingham, which would send a serious levelling up signal. HS2 south of Birmingham would exacerbate the London problem unless the southern route is maybe oneway …. leading out of London but not into London 🙂

    1. glen cullen
      July 27, 2022

      HS2 is going to run out of money way before it ever reaches Birmingham

      1. Dave Andrews
        July 27, 2022

        And if the unions don’t get their way, it will run out of people to work on it first.

  31. Mike Stallard
    July 27, 2022

    The North was built on coal, iron mining, steel and manufacture. Housing was secondary and often provided by Christian masters for their Christian workers on compassionate grounds. Industry, in other words, brought prosperity.
    Now fracking is banned. Coal mining is forbidden. Oil is seen as non-green. Nuclear is under scrutiny and we have to call in foreigners to build the new stations. Housing is provided/allowed by the government planners.
    If – if – we could bring ourselves to say “yes” to the indujstries in the second paragraph instead of “no”, then the North would flourish once again.

    1. miami.mode
      July 27, 2022

      But one of the best fracking possibilities is under the South Downs.

  32. Javelin
    July 27, 2022

    Nigel Farage said on a YouTube video that he was visiting the red wall seats and the voters were very angry about mass immigration.

    I don’t think he was there to poll for the Conservatives or visiting for the weather. So he must be there to recce the red wall for the Reform Party.

    1. glen cullen
      July 27, 2022

      But he’s not wrong, both the Tories and Labour are letting the working class down ref mass immigration

      1. Nottingham Lad Himself
        July 27, 2022

        Don’t insult the working class – like me – by labelling us all as teeth-grinding bigots thanks, Glen.

        1. glen cullen
          July 27, 2022

          I’m taking about the working class whose jobs have been under threat by mass immigration and cheap, often illegal, unskilled labour
whose fighting to help them; not the labour party nor the tory party

        2. Peter2
          July 27, 2022

          NHL now claiming to be a member of a minority.
          How touching.

    2. Nottingham Lad Himself
      July 27, 2022

      Yes, they’re still angry about that which happened sixty or seventy years ago, just as they are about Poland knocking England out of the world cup.

      Neither they, nor Farage, nor any other prize clown can do much about either however.

      1. Peter2
        July 28, 2022

        What insight you have NHL
        You know exactly what millions of people think.

        1. Bill brown
          July 28, 2022

          Peter 2

          Please do us a favour and contribute with something constructive and useful?

          1. Peter2
            July 29, 2022

            I disagreed with what NHL said bill.
            He has no facts, figures nor data to support his ridiculous statement.
            I thought that is what you demand of others.

  33. a-tracy
    July 27, 2022

    The truth is lots of people don’t realise just how badly served their lower socio-economic areas are. They don’t travel around the UK to the wealthier areas to compare on a regular basis; they don’t see the libraries offering full programs every day with everything from reading relays and special sessions for children, adult fitness & flexibility classes to computer studies and high art recitals, performances often at very low participation costs. Often with lower Council tax bills to boot, they don’t have as many social needs payments, subsidised rail fares and bus fares as they seem to make.

    These pockets of executive homes don’t, in the main, send their children to the local high schools because of the social problems. They often don’t shop locally; no shops to suit their budgets or requirements, no local restaurants to cater to their needs, no hotel for functions, no trendy artisan streets to stroll along and no beautification of the area because the council is generally too worried about the local estates and the lowest common denominator and no evening entertainment is provided or even thought of to suit their family needs. The councils often allow the ugliest buildings, no flowers, and ironwork left to rust and rot. Families get trapped there because housing prices don’t rise in those locations they stagnate. They are a minority so often get a Labour council who charge their bands much higher rates to not spend in their locality. I could go on.

  34. Cuibono
    July 27, 2022

    Airports in chaos.
    Roads ditto.
    Railways ditto.
    Petrol and electricity prices through the roof.
    Car-sharing looming.
    Nudge, nudge
Levelling D O W N!
    They don’t want us to travel.
    And they don’t want us to own cars!

    1. glen cullen
      July 27, 2022

      But you’re taking about the Tory Party, the party of freedom the protector of the magna carta, the party of entrepreneurs, the party of market forces, the party of consumer choice, the party of competition, the party of democracy and sovereignty, the party of rule of law
the party of self determination
      Where did it all go wrong

      1. Cuibono
        July 27, 2022

        It went wrong when the stupid tories voted for Major in the leadership election.

        1. Mark B
          July 27, 2022

          +1

      2. Mickey Taking
        July 27, 2022

        ‘Where did it all go wrong’
        Well the key facilitator is the fact that for years ‘old school’ Tories are being replaced with ‘ careerist sheep’ who value the status and cv entry, but will do bugger-all to challenge the downward spiral of commonsense, morals, justice and determination to be strong and succeed.

      3. Clough
        July 27, 2022

        It went wrong on quite a number of occasions, I suspect, Glen. Here is the most glaring example in my opinion, when a ‘Conservative’ government modelled its policy on Communist China: “It’s a communist one-party state, we said. We couldn’t get away with it in Europe, we thought
 and then Italy did it. And we realised we could…If China had not done it, the year would have been very different.” – NEIL FERGUSON, THE TIMES DEC. 2020.

        The government allowed itself to go down a dirigiste totalitarian road from then on:
        “You must stay home” – BORIS JOHNSON 23rd March 2020

        Net zero is imposed on the country, and we are not given a political choice. The Conservatives gave us a referendum on Europe, but not on this issue: ‘We must all work together to achieve Net Zero emissions.” BORIS JOHNSON January 2020

      4. APL
        July 28, 2022

        glen cullen: “Where did it all go wrong?”

        Conservative Central office seized control of candidate selection.

        “In 2005 Cameron created an additional A list which gave positive discrimination to women and ethnic minority applicants and consisted of 152 people 51 of whom became MPs. These were pushed on local parties who often resisted, thinking that the A list people were Cameron moderates rather than the more right-wing candidates that they wanted.”

        https://www.britpolitics.co.uk/a-level-uk-political-party-parliamentary-candidates/

    2. Fedupsoutherner
      July 27, 2022

      And they don’t want us to eat meat. The first thing my husbands specialist told him recently was that for good health you need good quality lean red meat as part of your diet. If you are on a vegan diet you need supplements so how can that be considered healthy?

  35. X-Tory
    July 27, 2022

    “Levelling up” is an example of typical Boris modus operandi: say something that sounds good but means bugger all. Even he didn’t know what it meant, and no minister has come up with a sensible definition or a plan of action. So let me do your work for you, once again (even though you’ll probably ignore me … once again).

    If you want to ‘level up’ an area, then it must currently be BELOW the national level. But in what way? Housing? Education? Jobs? Not all areas are sub-par in the same way, and not all areas that are sub-par are in the north. But there IS inequality, and it is right (and beneficial to the country, not just locally) to address this problem. So here’s what you do:

    You invite each county (I think this is probably the best geographical size to work with) to submit bids for government help to improve SPECIFIC features (transport, housing, jobs, etc) in their areas, where they can provide statistical PROOF that their regional provision is below the national level. And then the government works with the county, providing the necessary funding. And there you go – problem solved. THAT’S how you ‘level up’ the country.

    1. glen cullen
      July 27, 2022

      Not just Boris, there have been many notable meaningless platitudes from the conservative party
anyone remember David Cameron’s Big Society

      1. rose
        July 27, 2022

        Didn’t Big Society mean as opposed to Big State?

  36. Mark
    July 27, 2022

    If you want to persuade the middle classes to move to less economically successful parts of the country, start by offering top quality schools to grammar standards of education. Then don’t pretend that highly subsidised net zero business clusters are going to provide a viable economic future: create the environment for internationally competitive businesses to return to the UK to improve our trade balance. High cost green business will have virtually no export market.

    Provide that background and the housing will take care of itself, left to normal market forces.

    1. Roy Grainger
      July 27, 2022

      People want to live in the South East but the people who already live there don’t want them to. Normal market forces in the housing market can’t operate due to NIMBYism.

      1. Sir Joe Soap
        July 27, 2022

        Feeds on itself though. Not sure people want to live here so much as have to, in order to get a decent job leading to a place to live. Which leads to more people doing the same. London is this effect on steroids. Could be changed through public policy decisions, like Enterprise Zones, councils relaxing building rules, regulations. Getting places to attract tourists, visitors, exhibitions.

      2. Bill B.
        July 27, 2022

        They’re operating very well in Wokingham borough, Roy. Ssince the 2011 census, it saw its population grow by 15%, the fastest rate in southern England. And of course massive house-building to accommodate all the newcomers. If there’s Nimbyism around here, the Nimbies aren’t very good at it.

      3. Fedupsoutherner
        July 27, 2022

        Roy. All I know is that Sussex is being drowned with all the new housing. It is unrecognisable now. The traffic is horrendous and the wait for a doctor or treatment is unacceptable. There are housing estates still being given permission to build 450 homes at a time when there is a water shortage at the best of times. Worthing is particularly bad but going towards Horsham you can see all the old woodland being felled and small holdings disappearing at a great rate of knots. There is no room for nimbyism and hardly any room to move.

    2. a-tracy
      July 28, 2022

      I agree with you, Mark, a grammar school would be a big game changer in my area even though I don’t really agree with them, but the brainiest children all leave the area for the best comprehensive in the area anyway, resulting in lots of bus journeys.

  37. Chris S
    July 27, 2022

    Where ever new houses are required, a mixture is needed, not just executive homes. There can be few towns and villages that could not benefit from having a small number of additional homes. The problem is usually when a council zones a big site for housing, and that is snapped up by the big builders. Few in the local community benefits from these developments. Far better to authorize many more small sites and sell the plots to small builders or individuals to have their own design built.

    That way, local contractors benefit and the community gets the mix and type of home they need.

    1. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      Exactly my point below. Get the big builders out of the picture.

  38. Bloke
    July 27, 2022

    Memo to LT
    If you, Liz Truss are seeking a 20% reduction in crime, that is tantamount to accepting 80% of crime.
    20% would be a good start, but surely you can do something effective to prevent crime that has not yet happened. What is your best idea for doing that?
    A short credible strategy would be more convincing than a mere statement of intent.

    1. glen cullen
      July 27, 2022

      Remove patrol cars and get the police back on the beat

      1. cuibono
        July 27, 2022

        Ha!
        They recently did an experiment here and guess what they found?
        When there are police on the beat ( ie actually working) crime reduces by some 70%.
        Extraordinary!

      2. Bloke
        July 27, 2022

        Sentencing offenders to wear a flashing helmet and an L-plate pink uniform would alert everyone else about the risk they may pose.
        Offenders would soon learn they need to develop trustworthiness to be readily accepted every day & progress on the right path.

      3. Mickey Taking
        July 27, 2022

        we can’t afford the petrol cruising around.

    2. rose
      July 27, 2022

      Bloke: And don’t fall for the media hype about women on the streets being unsafe. Boys and young men are far more at risk of violent random attack but tackling this won’t appease the entryist, C Nokes.

      1. Bloke
        July 28, 2022

        Rose: They are now. However, I recall in the 1970s a US visitor in a London street asking my friend ‘Where is a safe place to walk?’

        My friend didn’t understand the question immediately, wondering if the man was concerned about tripping on pavements or falling debris, but in a few seconds realised the visitor, being from the US expected street attacks. My friend then replied ‘Anywhere, man’, as he regarded attacks in England as most unlikely. That was then.

        1. glen cullen
          July 28, 2022

          I agree – but why where we safer in the 70/80s….whats changed….immigration, police, wokeness

          1. Bloke
            July 28, 2022

            All three Glen.

  39. Nottingham Lad Himself
    July 27, 2022

    Brexit, as it becomes clear, is not analogous to a wound, but to a progressive disease.

    1. Peter2
      July 27, 2022

      Very profound NHL

    2. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      Irrelevant to the end. I hope you’re turning down your gas supply 15% this winter in sympathy and to help your friends.

    3. Roy Grainger
      July 27, 2022

      As there are no queues at all at Dover today I conclude Brexit must have been reversed.

      1. Mickey Taking
        July 27, 2022

        or better still the potential travellers decided to abandon France for a holiday.

    4. bill brown
      July 27, 2022

      NHL

      Not a bad observation, but I wish it was not the case

      1. Peter2
        July 27, 2022

        Why are there no real problems at other European ports if brexit is the reason bill?

    5. Mickey Taking
      July 28, 2022

      Rather like Remainers, started as a wound, began festuring now a colonised infection. Even after appropriate treatment it keeps coming back.

  40. William Long
    July 27, 2022

    But these are all things that should be done by existing Government departments, and if they are not doing them, the Minister should be taken to task by the Prime Minister. Creating a special department has simply resulted in more Civil Servants, bureaucracy, and promises of regulation.

  41. Sir Joe Soap
    July 27, 2022

    So why not get the Councils in rural areas sell selected plots of land cheaply to those under 35 with accommodation and local links? They’re young enough to organise local people to help them build, and if they have a trade houses will be built well and economically?

  42. Geoffrey Berg
    July 27, 2022

    ‘Levelling up’ is really nonsense – I suppose Boris Johnson dreamed it up to keep his new ‘red wall’ Brexiteer voters onside. To the extent that the Conservative South is being chipped away by ever increasing Labour supporting immigrant families (much of London, Luton etc.,) and expanding, now huge, Universities (e.g. Canterbury), Boris was right that the Conservative Party must penetrate some of the ‘Red Wall’ to win majorities in future.
    Levelling up rhetoric might help for the next election but in the now unlikely event the Conservatives win that, it won’t work after that (after 10 years with little real ‘levelling up’).
    The truth is the rest of the country cannot level up to London and the South as London is the capital city, has the second biggest financial centre in the world, much of the tourism industry, geographical advantage and much else besides.
    ‘Levelling up’ can be dumped anyhow because Labour’s current cultural notions and wokeism are alien to most people in the parts of the ‘Red Wall’ Conservatives have won or were close to winning.

  43. X-Tory
    July 27, 2022

    You have to laugh, or cry, at the stupidity of both Truss and Shapps, who are now proposing a convoluted series of ridiculous measures to try and limit strikes, and their effect, on the railways. What a pair of idiots. Why can’t they just tackle the problem at its root, in a clear, simple and effective manner – by BANNING ALL STRIKES BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT WORKERS. This is what I have repeatedly suggested. Why the hell does nobody listen?

    Trains, buses and the underground are vital services and those who work there should never be allowed to strike. Those who use public transport do so mainly to go to work. Therefore if they cannot travel they will lose money and could even lose their jobs. And their employers will lose money and could even close down – potentially leading to a loss of jobs for all their workers. Even if they don’t close down they will lose money, meaning they will pay less corporation tax, meaning the government will have less money for vital services – including the health service – which will harm the whole of society, even the strikers and their families.

    So public transport is simply too important to the whole of society and the national economy and this sector should be excluded from the right to strike, because there is a more important right: THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL. Why don’t Truss and Shapps have the brains, and the gumption, to say this? They would win a massive amount of support.

    1. rose
      July 27, 2022

      Presumably they are looking at the question through motorists’ eyes. This has been the case since Macmillan.

    2. Geoffrey Berg
      July 27, 2022

      Why just ban strikes by public transport workers in our interdependent modern economy? We are just as dependent on freight transport workers, health workers, dockers and many, many more besides. Indeed I don’t see why some people should have the right to strike and others not. Striking anyhow is a collective conspiracy against employers and their customers, usually ultimately society at large. In my view nobody has the right to conspire against others within our interdependent society exploiting the vulnerability of an economically interdependent society, an interdependent society from which we all benefit massively in our standard of living. Therefore nobody should have the right to strike. Everybody has the right to individually find a better or more lucrative job for him/herself if he/she can if he/she isn’t satisfied with his/her pay but that should be the limit of people’s rights.

      1. a-tracy
        July 28, 2022

        Geoffrey, things could be done by the councils who normally contract services that are removed and not just throw their hands up in despair; for example, companies like Lyft and Uber taxi share could be contacted to see if they could offer replacement services; most buses in our area run around with only five people in them and could be accommodated in a seven-seater taxi van. I think they could make long-term savings on day services out of peak times instead of just expecting subsidies to top up unprofitable services where the employees want more and more and get it by removing their labour; the people that pay the subsidies by extra local and national taxation get no say and no consideration, many of whom are often on much less pay – holiday and pension packages.

    3. Mickey Taking
      July 27, 2022

      Employment is a contract to work. If not happy with the terms then find a more agreeable contract with a different employer. Refusing to work and honour the contract should give the employer damages.

  44. Will in Hampshire
    July 27, 2022

    I wonder if our host would share his opinion on Stamp Duty as it applies to sales of property. It seems to me that as it applies most severely to sales of highly-priced property it effectively acts as a lock on people living in the South East, people who own their own home and may have got to the point where they could be persuaded to move elsewhere and thereby free-up a property in the most productive part of the country for younger incomers from London or one of the other cities. No doubt he will have observed this effect in his Wokingham constituency. Should it be reformed or removed as a means to get more movement into and out of the South East?

    Reply Cut the rates of SD

    1. Mark B
      July 27, 2022

      Reply to reply.

      Cut the rates. Lock it into a Social Housing fund for said housing.

      It is time that every tax that is created goes to what that is for and not into some great big pot from which everyone dips in.

      Time to put the cost of NHS hospitals on Council Tax and reduce both personal and company taxes to offset it. People need to see and know where every penny goes.

      1. a-tracy
        July 28, 2022

        Mark B – this was a recent headline – “Council spends nearly quarter of a million pounds a week on taxis taking children to and from school.”

        This is so profitable that some of these taxi companies park taxis up all day outside a school near me and get the drivers a lift home, so they are first in the queue for the afternoon run home.

        People say social services are awful in the Country – NO they are not, a fortune is spent, not always wisely.

    2. Sir Joe Soap
      July 27, 2022

      It’s ridiculous to charge people a fee for moving to a new job where they’ll likely contribute more to the country than their old one, or equally for downsizing and freeing up badly needed space for all our new friends.

  45. glen cullen
    July 27, 2022

    “With a 96 percent warm-bias in U.S. temperature measurements, it is impossible to use any statistical methods to derive an accurate climate trend for the U.S.” said Heartland Institute Senior Fellow. “Data from the stations that have not been corrupted by faulty placement show a rate of warming in the United States reduced by almost half compared to all stations.”
    https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2022/07/27/96-of-u-s-climate-data-is-corrupted-new-study/#more-57464

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