Conservative “levelling up” posturing a drop in the ocean after decade of austerity
2 February 2022
- Commitment to “Building Back Greener” only ever skin deep
The Green Party has warned that the Conservative government’s “levelling up” paper [1] is little more than “political posturing” and called for a true devolution of finance to allow communities the power to develop their own regeneration plans.
Green Party deputy leader Amelia Womack said:
“Boris Johnson won the 2019 election on a promise to level up but a full two years on the levelling up plan is nothing short of a cynical attempt to distract voters from the Partygate scandal and has no new money attached.
“Successive Conservative governments have spent more than a decade gutting communities and leaving their local councils with nowhere near enough money to deliver their vital services.
“An announcement with no new money and nothing which truly devolves power to local communities does nothing to fix the devastation they have caused since being elected 12 years ago.”
The Green Party is also deeply critical of the failure to mention the climate crisis,particularly while the UK retains the COP Presidency and after the Prime Minister promised to Build Back Greener.
“The fact that there is zero climate action in this plan shows once again that the government’s commitment to climate action is only skin deep. A retrofit revolution would not only create good quality jobs across the country, provide new skills for the future and reduce bills at a time when many are struggling to pay theirs, it would also help us to tackle the greatest danger to all of us, climate change.
“This has been a missed opportunity to reverse decades of Tory inequality and build strong, green local economies across the country.”
ENDS
Notes
1
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-unveils-levelling-up-plan-that-will-transform-uk