In the 2019 election, the manifesto of our governing party mentioned ‘levelling up' 11 times. When it created the new Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities three months ago, the Government stated that levelling up is its central mission.

There is no doubt that at a General Election – scheduled to take place in just over two years' time – one of the key things this Government will be judged on is the success it has had in levelling up Britain.