I am the chair of the UK2070 Commission – an independent inquiry into regional inequalities in the UK. Last year we published a 10-point action plan, with place-based initiatives and proposals for how to address regional imbalances, backed by evidence from a range of experts. It is a plan to “level up” if you like, with similar themes to the government’s white paper. The difference really is that we set out quite detailed proposals to “Go Big and Go Local”.

Framed as a Covid recovery plan and a chance to “build back better” the commission recognises the challenges of committing significant public investment to levelling up. But it also notes that the huge benefits will pay for themselves in time