To turn this around, to “level up” as the Prime Minister puts it, is a very long term and stubborn mission. It is not especially new. Decades ago the Government promised to shift departments out of London – some got as far as Croydon. The regeneration efforts of the new Labour Governments after the late Lord Foster’s Urban Taskforce Report, saw billions poured into major cities, the establishment of development agencies, attempts to attract foreign capital for property-led regeneration schemes, and decisions made by elected assemblies. One of the key differences in today’s announcements is the focus on smaller towns, as well as larger cities.
