‘Been in power majority of this century’ Gove squirms over plans for ‘forgotten’ Britain
Michael Gove grilled by Burley on 'forgotten' areas of Britain
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The Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove has been grilled on Sky News Kay Burley over the Government’s record on investment in “forgotten” regions of the UK. Mr Gove accepted the UK has a problem with “geographical inequality” and faced questions on why the Conservative Party has not dealt with left-behind areas sooner.
Mr Gove told Sky News: “One of the big problems that we have as a country is the geographical inequality.
“London in the southeast, an economic powerhouse, but the north and Midlands not so much and that’s why we need to invest in schools in skills.
“That’s what we need to improve wages, that’s why we need to make sure that we level up across the country.”
Ms Burley probed: “people who have been forgotten, forgotten by whom?”
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“Overlooked and undervalued for years…by well by politicians,” replied Mr Gove.
“The Brexit referendum was a wake-up call, as well as a clear commandment to leave the European Union it was also a way of saying to people in SW1, people like me, look, it’s vital that you change the economic model of this country.
“It’s all very well if people in London and the Southeast in financial services and others do well, we don’t begrudge that, but you’ve got to listen to us.
“And in 2019 the baton was passed to Boris there was a clear instruction deliver for us.
“We’ve had to difficult Covid years but now that we’re coming out of it, we are making good on that promise by a commitment to improve jobs and wages by spending more of the science money that is so vital to growth in the north and Midlands and also by making sure that the schools and colleges that people attend are fit for purpose.”
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Ms Burley replied: “Okay, but you guys have been in power for the majority of this century.”
“Well, there have been mistakes made by parties of both colours and one of the things in the past is there have been sincere and committed attempts by politicians left and right to deal with this, but nothing as comprehensive or as long term as the plan that we’re setting up today.”
“Yeah, okay. But you do acknowledge that you guys have been in power for 12 years,” grilled Ms Burley
Mr Gove replied: “As I say there was a wake-up call in 2016 and one charge that is often made against governments is that they run out of steam.
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“I think what we’re seeing here is a commitment to make sure that far from running out of steam.
“We’re firing up every engine of the economy,” he added.
“I think it’s also important to recognise that when Boris was elected prime minister, there was a new government with a new mission.
“And that mission was to level up and we’re giving the detail today on how we do that.”
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