UK government to set up 'level up' plan as an attempt to move on from lockdown scandal
February 2, 2022, 8:18 am

UK government to set up 'level up' plan as an attempt to move on from lockdown scandal

Levelling up means giving all young people, no matter their background, the skills they need to realise their potential/PM Boris Johnson official Facebook page

The Inquirer news website reported, according to Reuters, Britain’s government will set out its plan to “level up” the country on Wednesday as it tries to move on from the scandal of lockdown parties in Downing Street by turning to one of the big policy pledges that put Boris Johnson there in 2019.

It said it had identified 12 missions to shift focus and resources to Britain’s “forgotten” communities by 2030, including what it said was the biggest shift of power from London to local leaders in modern times.

It said that other targets include bringing local public transport closer to London’s standard, extending 5G and fibre broadband across the country and working to eliminate illiteracy and innumeracy in primary school leavers.

Prime Minister Johnson said in a statement: “From day one, the defining mission of this government has been to level up this country, to break the link between geography and destiny so that no matter where you live you have access to the same opportunities."

It’s two years since we left the EU, taking back control of our money, borders and laws. Fantastic to be at the opening of Tilbury2, which will drive investment and create skilled jobs/PM Boris Johnson official Facebook page

He adopted his “leveling up” slogan in the 2019 election as shorthand for tackling regional inequalities, particularly between former industrial areas and London and the southeast.

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Political opponents have said the initiative is populist and lacks substance.

Johnson is outlining the policy as he fights to shore up his premiership after damaging revelations of parties in his Number 10 Downing Street office and other government buildings during COVID-19 lockdowns.

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A report on the parties on Monday pointed to “serious failures of leadership” at the heart of British government.

Source: inquirer

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.