From ‘just about managing’, to ‘education, education, education’, prime ministers love a slogan to sum up their political agenda – ideally something a bit vague that sounds like it could make life better for everyone. But when it comes to Boris Johnson’s trademark policy – levelling up – it is in danger of becoming an idiom too far.

Ambiguity may work in favour of a political catchphrase, but now the levelling up agenda has been branded ‘a slogan without a purpose’. Number 10, it is claimed, fears that without action they won’t win back the red wall votes when it comes to the next election.