Exclusive: Starmer outspends Johnson on levelling up in first year
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/10/exclusive-starmer-outspends-johnson-on-levelling-up-in-first-year
Posted by Jared_Usbourne
Exclusive: Starmer outspends Johnson on levelling up in first year
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/10/exclusive-starmer-outspends-johnson-on-levelling-up-in-first-year
Posted by Jared_Usbourne
18 Comments
>Investment in the North East will be seven times higher than under Johnson, and five times higher in the North West and Yorkshire and Humber by the end of the parliament, based on current trends identified in this analysis of 46 government programmes and funds.
>In fact, Starmer’s government has already committed funding the equivalent of 70 per cent of the entirety of Johnson’s “Levelling Up” allocation in just 14 months in office. It is on track to invest £36bn in such schemes: three times the levels under Boris Johnson. It is also weighting this funding more towards the north, with 51 per cent of the money going to northern regions compared with 41 per cent under Johnson.
The data is absolutely insane:
>In its first year in office, Keir Starmer’s government has invested £2bn more than Johnson did in his first year – with £4.5bn allocated to regional investment programmes in Labour’s first year compared with £2.5bn spent in the equivalent period under Johnson – according to new analysis by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods.
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>Investment in the North East will be seven times higher than under Johnson, and five times higher in the North West and Yorkshire and Humber by the end of the parliament, based on current trends identified in this analysis of 46 government programmes and funds.
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>In fact, Starmer’s government has already committed funding the equivalent of 70 per cent of the entirety of Johnson’s “Levelling Up” allocation in just 14 months in office. It is on track to invest £36bn in such schemes: three times the levels under Boris Johnson. It is also weighting this funding more towards the north, with 51 per cent of the money going to northern regions compared with 41 per cent under Johnson.
Can we ditch levelling up as a term. New government so shouldn’t be rehashing the old Tory lies.
I’m not British and this doesn’t count for much but I just want to say, I really like Kier Starmer
Did the money reach your people or just go into social engineering programs for the civil service?
And that’s how governments fool you – “The government is investing” sounds better than “The government is taking EVEN MORE of your money, and making your children poorer by borrowing EVEN MORE, and then deciding for themselves how to spend your money”.
Some government spending is necessary and good. Too much is not. We’re definitely in the too much region.
Great news.
Obviously the Reform cult will just write ‘boats’ everywhere but it’s important that this progress is shared with normal people who just don’t get to hear about it.
Until this its all undone by Farage and his ick next parliament.
Why are Labour not screaming this from roof tops, they need to sort their coms out badly.
They need to plaster big posters on every bit of construction they do otherwise it just gets lost and people think nothing happens
Wait…. Noo! Kier Stalin bad. It’s the brown people! Nigel! Nigel! Gimme dem flags
This is sarcasm. Just need to be clear
It’s nice that the government are doing some of the things they were elected to do, if only they would quit doing so many authoritarian things they weren’t elected to do…
And yet the only place I’ve heard this come up is Reddit sharing it.
Not to say everything Starmer does is popular. I’ve fundamental disagreements on parts of it.
But everything good Labour does is2g is detached from any mainstream media. Everything bad they do is amplified.
And then there’s social media… and that’s a cesspit full of crazies.
The fact this is an ‘Exclusive’ is part of Labour’s comms problem. This should be everywhere.
and the rewards and benefits will start to be felt just after reform take over, so they get all the credit. gotta love politics.
Why the fuck aren’t they screaming this from the rooftops instead of cheering on foreign football hooligans?? Their political instincts need studying
It’s a start. Now sustain that for 30 years and the country might actually get firing on all cylinders again. We need the kind of levelling up that West Germany provided for the East , and for the same length of time.
I live in the north, tons of maintenance construction popped up everywhere since the new government stepped in.
(Creates a shit ton of traffic)
But it’s very much appreciated
A water pipe underground had been leaking for 4 years and the council never got round to it, basically flooded the road during rain. 2 months into the labour government and they dug the whole road up to fix it.
Not saying this government is perfect by any means but it’s in the right direction.
I don’t miss Boris in any meaningful way, but recently those videos of him saying “AI” and “ChatGPT” made me remember how unintentionally funny he could be. Of course though in the end, serious and perhaps even boring politicians probably are who you want in office over someone like Boris (and I’d still prefer Labour to the Tories in any and all circumstances)