EDITORIAL 26 | Ditching disadvantage 3 | Editor’s letter John Cope Joseph Silke 27 | More than just money 4 | Director’s note Andrew O’Brien Ryan Shorthouse 5 | Letters to the Editor INTERVIEW 30 | Neil O’Brien OBE MP REVIVED ECONOMY Joseph Silke 6 | Levelling up: lessons from history Prof Michael Kenny and Owen Garling RENEWED COMMUNITIES 9 | Green growth 35 | Free the ports Kwasi Kwarteng MP Mayor Ben Houchen 10 | Powering up the nation 37 | Bringing opportunities home Lord O’Neill Dehenna Davison MP 11 | Unleashing universities 38 | Things can only get better Dr Tim BradshawLIES AND THE S Paul Howell MPLIES AND THE S 13 | Ripe for renewal 39 | Road to prosperity Melanie Onn Alicia Kearns MP 14 | Island of idlers? 41 | Competitive councils Aveek Bhattacharya Cllr Abi Brown 15 | What does levelling up look like? Matthew Oakley REVIEWS 17 | Can levelling up give Boris Johnson a 43 | The upswing lasting legacy? By Robert D. Putnam & Shaylyn R. Garrett Philip Collins and Will Tanner Ryan Shorthouse 44 | How we stop causing climate change REFORMED STATE By Sir Dieter Helm 21 | Shaking up the mandarins Andrew Leming Contents Baroness Finn 45 | Penguin’s Pelican series 22 | Moving on up By Ferdinand Zweig, Mike Savage & Alex Thomas Michael Young 23 | Strengthening the net Diane Banks Helen Barnard 47 | TV 24 | Doubling down on devolution It’s a sin Andrew Carter Joseph Silke Bright Blue is the independent think tank and pressure group for liberal conservatism. Chief Executive: Ryan Shorthouse Chair: Sarah Sands Board of Directors: Rachel Johnson, Alexandra Jezeph, Diane Banks, Phil Clarke & Richard Mabey Editor: Joseph Silke Design: Joseph Silke Interview: Neil O’Brien OBE MP (p.30) Free the ports: Mayor Ben Houchen (p.35) Cover design: Chris Solomons brightblue.org.uk EDITORIAL PHOEBE ARSLANAGIC-WAKEFIELD & JOSEPH SILKE Editor’s letter Editor Joseph Silke introduces this edition evelling up: remember that? Before Bennett Institute who provide a superb followed Covid-19 took control of our lives, the introduction to the edition by placing the by the LConservatives won a landslide election current Government’s mission in historical Institute victory promising to both ‘Get Brexit Done’ context. This government will hope to for Government’s Alex Thomas (p.22), and ‘level up’ the country. The first of these succeed where others have failed. who argues that more of government objectives has been achieved, now the The recently promoted Business should be moved out of London. Helen Government must turn to the second. The Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng MP (p.9), Barnard (p.23) from the Joseph Rowntree question remains, however: what exactly argues that the UK can level up while also Foundation then makes the case for does ‘levelling up’ mean? It’s a victory providing global climate leadership. Vice- a stronger social security system to for gamer jargon perhaps, but beyond Chair of the Northern Powerhouse, Lord tackle rising destitution. Andrew Carter an intention to more equally distribute O’Neill (p.10), then considers whether (p.24) of the Centre for Cities calls on opportunity across the United Kingdom, the this powerhouse model could be applied the Government to double down on Government’s agenda is yet to be translated elsewhere. Chief Executive of the Russell devolution, rewriting how local government into a detailed policy programme. This Group, Dr Tim Bradshaw (p.11), highlights is run in England. John Cope (p.26) urges is understandable; the Government has the massive role our elite universities the Government to make closing the had a pandemic to contend with. As we play in our economic dynamism and disadvantage gap in schools a priority. successfully roll out the national vaccination technological success, including in battling Finally, our Associate Fellow Andrew programme, however, people are starting the pandemic. Melanie Onn (p.13) from O’Brien (p.27) presents three pillars for to allow themselves to think more carefully RenewablesUK sets out the progress the public services reform. about what sort of country we want to live renewable energy sector has made and the Our interview is with the Chair of the in after the ordeal has abated. potential still to come. The Social Market Conservative Party Policy Board, Neil The objective of this magazine is, quite Foundation’s Aveek Bhattacharya (p.14) O’Brien OBE MP (p.30). We discuss how we simply, to start answering what levelling up examines the issue that has dogged the should look to East Asia for how to deliver actually means and how it can be delivered UK economy for decades: how to improve levelling up and why he decided to take on in practice. It brings together contributors productivity. Matthew Oakley (p.15) from the lockdown-sceptics. from across different areas of policy, from WPI Economics challenges the Chancellor to The final chapter focuses on renewing renewable energy to education. Across start showing what levelling up looks like on communities, both urban and rural. Tees three sections, each with a truly excellent Budget Day. Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen (p.35), opens lineup, contributors provide their insights Finally in this section, this edition’s with a pitch in support of Freeports to and make their suggestions about what this exchange (p.17) debates whether levelling turbocharge investment and growth. ‘Red agenda should look like for the rest of this up can give Boris Johnson a lasting legacy. Wall’ MPs, Dehenna Davison MP (p.37) parliament and beyond. Not all of the ideas Two leading figures behind-the-scenes of of Bishop Auckland and Paul Howell MP raised throughout the magazine will be recent premierships go head-to-head. Philip (p.38) of Sedgefield, emphasise bringing compatible, but that is part of the point. The Collins, the former Chief Speechwriter for opportunities back to local areas and direction and priorities of levelling up are Tony Blair, is sceptical, while Will Tanner, rebuilding social infrastructure. Alicia up for grabs. The pandemic has exacerbated the former Deputy Head of Policy for Kearns MP (p.39) underscores the value of many of the inequalities that already existed Theresa May, argues that the current Prime infrastructure for towns and villages. Finally, in the country. This will make delivering Minister can pull it off. the Leader of Stoke City Council, Cllr Abi levelling up more difficult, but it is also why The second section is on reforming the Brown (p.41), argues for an end to unfair the agenda is so vital. state. Baroness Finn (p.21), the newly competition between councils. Opening Centre Write is an extended appointed Deputy Chief of Staff at Number essay (p.6) by Professor Michael Kenny 10, explains the role that civil service reform Joseph Silke is the Communications Officer and Owen Garling from the Cambridge’s must play in the levelling up agenda. She is at Bright Blue 3 EDITORIAL SAM SMETHERS Director’s note Turning around left-behind areas needs patience and motivation, argues Ryan Shorthouse he Government is desperate to get over a year ago. the past the pandemic and focus on We were told by Theresa May, in her first Single T‘levelling up’ – a convoluted term for Conservative Party Conference speech as Regene- improving life for more deprived people and PM, that these people voted to leave the ration Budget, areas in the UK. EU in 2016 because of something broader: launched by the Boris has been advised by those close “A sense – deep, profound and let’s face Conservative Government in the early to him to stop using it. But, whatever it is it often justified – that many people have 1990s, provides the model for the Levelling called, he obviously should not abandon the today that the world works well for a Up Fund, inviting local organisations to mission. privileged few, but not for them”. partner up to bid for grants. In truth, though, this is not a new The evidence suggests that area-based agenda. David Cameron talked about The vagueness of these regeneration initiatives can be effective, improving life chances. Theresa May wanted “ slogans allows all sorts of but only marginally and if supported over to tackle burning injustices. Boris is simply people to stick their hobby a long timeframe. Really, it’s the level of rebadging the social reform agenda One horses to them; so it is both public and private sector expenditure Nation Conservatives have urged to be that really determine the destiny of these central since Thatcher, to convince voters with levelling up. places, especially employment levels. So they are more than just a party of economic strong incentives are needed to convince prudence, but of really caring about and There’s been lots of quite dramatic businesses to locate and invest there. helping those just about managing, or even interpretation of that narrow referendum Keeping and attracting motivated not at all. result – as with the election of Trump. people matters, deep down, the most. The vagueness of these slogans allows It represented some populist surge, Often referred to as highly-skilled, their all sorts of people to stick their hobby apparently. Biden’s victory, the archetypal educational credentials are often a product horses to them; so it is with levelling up. establishment centrist, seems to have given of drive and discipline above anything The list of what it means is long: improving that short shrift. The safer explanation for else. What they do is create, build, lead transport connectivity between different Brexit – albeit more boring – is that more enterprises, commercial and social, that can regions, rebuilding social capital in so-called people in this country simply thought, on make such a difference. Thriving companies left-behind towns, encouraging investment balance, that we were better off out than attract talented people, but also vice-versa, and economic activity in old industrial and in the EU, a Euroscepticism that has been as economists have found.