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As the struggling Conservative party gathers in its conference city for its annual party conference, it has plenty to consider regarding its path forward. It’s not even clear if a clear direction is available. These are tough times for a governing group that now has almost nothing, if anything, new or unique to say to the public.

What Could Have Been

The situation might have been markedly improved if real advances had been made on an priority that resonates with people throughout the UK: Social mobility. Yet the former leadership hadn’t got the slightest idea on how to convert the popular slogan on social mobility into actual implementation. Over twenty-four months after the general election, it discussed what the phrase actually signified.

I found it bizarre, because I had previously explained to Johnson what levelling up entailed when we initially discussed about it during his leadership campaign. The expression was language I created and used at the DfE to talk about equal opportunity. It was our departmental mantra, and its definition is clear: levelling up is the means by which we attain equality of opportunity – not by taking chances away from those who are already advantaged, but rather by providing options to those that don’t.

Essential Principle

Another crucial ministry expression we used, “talent is spread evenly throughout the nation, however access isn’t”, again was a intentional wording, reflecting the two halves of a fairness agenda. To begin with, ability distributed uniformly but not cultivated evenly through our education system. Second, opportunities not spread evenly by employers or our economic system. Therefore, learning and employment were key to achieving better life chances. This constituted an mission about the social fabric of our country – investing in individual capabilities and providing access to opportunities.

What Levelling Up Became

What did levelling up turn into under Johnson’s Conservatives? Regional development money managed by the DLUHC. Street beautification and redeveloped traffic systems. A white paper was launched almost thirty-six months after Johnson became leader, which saw existing policy approaches relabelled under the new levelling up banner.

Consequently, a broader social mobility agenda went unpursued, as well as all the change that it may have generated – in investment, commerce, financial planning, taxation and in place-making. And, of course, in learning, including a university system that has become a scapegoat for leaders across parties – although it remains the primary vehicle of upward movement for individuals from less privileged homes, personally, this country has had throughout modern times. Possibly the only engine of social mobility, operating at scale.

Why Hope Matters

Aspiration is essential for our country to prosper. For hope to exist, there needs to be a realistic expectation that dedication and outcome are linked; that if people aspire, they can succeed. For any government, being able to instil a outlook of positivity about the future is important. Research by the research body at the academic establishment and others, newly available, showed that the DfE’s 12 “opportunity areas” I introduced as education secretary – place-based approaches to improving education outcomes – led to youth in those areas being up to 18 percentage points more positive about their future than those in equivalent locations without these initiatives in place. The data shows: just making an authentic start on equal chance initiatives can quickly and positively change how people view their destiny.

Squandered Chances

Unaware of these findings, and in the midst of its post-Johnson leadership contest, in September 2022, the Tory administration ended the initiatives. What reason would someone in those regions vote for a political group that made that decision? The targeted programme is a single instance of what could have been a transformative Conservative government agenda on social mobility, but that possibility was hopelessly squandered. Strategies such as this can inspire hope and aspiration. Conversely, as the Conservatives found out, failing to deliver of fair chances is the costliest mistake any leadership can make. The electorate penalized the government for its failure but, above all, for its broken promises on levelling up.

Today’s Political Reality

Now the mandate on life chances and equality of opportunity has passed to a opposition party. The previous terminology has been abandoned. The new government has its own public messaging of “removing obstacles to success”. The political group that is gradually replacing the hapless incumbents, the challenger, also has its own language – “economic renewal”. The terminology to talk about fresh prospects in regions like the one I grew up in, in my hometown. It claims that an former economic strength can reincarnate into an revitalized economy.

For the public, it must feel like a repetitive cycle. Same issue, new terminology. Yet, currently, little improvement.

Lessons for the Future

Should the current and alternative parties want to prevent the identical outcome, each group should learn from the Tories’ mistakes on levelling up; that social mobility rhetoric is one thing, but actual achievement of more equal results is far more challenging. The UK’s persistently low social mobility remains the key issue for our country, with youth unable to get a good job beginning, those working hard in occupations with little to show after the housing costs are covered, and citizens throughout the UK without any real hope their children will be able to do improve in life than they have.

Elected officials can discuss improved access repeatedly. Yet where is the organization that has the comprehensive policy agenda on equal opportunity? None appear to exist. Whichever party succeeds initially, succeeds. Not only for themselves, but, significantly, for a entire nation that has desperately requires fair chances so badly.