Instead of an overall plan, the Government presented a series of patchwork announcements. Many of these have been reused or replaced axed schemes.
The Tories, after more than a decade of power, have divided Britain and led to an increase in child poverty. They also starve vital services of funding.
The legacy of this government’s austerity programme has been a rise in violent crime as there are fewer police officers, countless children held back and town centres hollowed out from deep cuts to local government.
This is the context in which Boris Johnson’s levelling up plans should be placed.
After destroying the house, the Prime Minister now expects credit for offering to rebuild a cowboy ranch.
He might have earned some credit if his proposals matched the scale of the task, but yesterday’s Levelling Up blueprint fell far short.
Instead of an overall plan, the Government presented a series of patchwork announcements. Many of these have been reused or replaced with outdated schemes.
Their little extra cash is not enough to finish most of these schemes before 2030.
Levelling Up has always been a hollow slogan. Now it’s one with hollow promises attached.
More hot air…
Tomorrow regulator Ofgem gives green light for energy firms to raise prices further.
In the face of rising fuel and food prices, heating costs have risen dramatically in households across the country.
The Government’s proposed solution is to give taxpayer-funded loans to the energy companies to fund a rebate on household bills.
This will not be a permanent solution as the lenders will have to raise the charges in order to repay the loan.
An alternative solution is to reduce fuel VAT and impose an income tax on oil and natural gas giants.
The Government is not trying to address the cost of living crisis. It is merely prolonging it.
Trash squawk
You can knock me down with a feather.
Sweden’s crows have been taught to pick up litter. Let’s hope they will put the rubbish in a s-wing bin.
