The Guardian view on regenerating neighbourhoods: levelling up was a good idea, Labour should reclaim it | Editorial

‘Left-behind’ places have not had much attention since last year’s election. Now their champions are fighting backA boost to Sure Start-type investment in local children’s services is expected to feature in next week’s spending review – even while a more comprehensive child poverty plan has been put off until the autumn. Solid evidence, as well as a mountain of anecdotes, support the reputation of New Labour’s flagship early years policy. But Sure Start was not New Labour’s only way of targeting communities based on need. The channelling of about £2bn to 39 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England under the New Deal for Communities was another key strand of the Blair and Brown governments’ anti-poverty programme.Unfortunately, the idea behind this – that ministers should tackle “left-behind” communities with dedicated funding – was discredited by its association with levelling up. So central was this brand to Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit premiership that a government department was renamed after it. But his promises mostly weren’t kept, and the title was dropped last year. Since then, it is fair to say that geographical inequalities have taken a back seat to priorities including health and housing. Continue reading...

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