Justine Greening, former Conservative education secretary, argues that Andy Burnham's vision for "good growth in every postcode" represents a genuine opportunity to deliver on the promise of levelling up, unlike Boris Johnson's top-down approach. Writing for The Guardian, Greening says Burnham's premiership could succeed where Johnson's failed by focusing on place-based partnerships and reforming the Treasury.
Johnson's failure to deliver
Greening notes that Johnson lifted the levelling up language from the Department for Education during her tenure but then downgraded it to a towns fund. Keir Starmer identified "breaking down barriers to opportunity" as a mission but then hiked employers' national insurance, taxing opportunity and hitting younger workers hardest.
Three key components for success
Greening outlines three components Burnham needs. First, place and partnership: Whitehall's one-size-fits-all approach cannot handle local realities. She cites her own "opportunity areas" initiative, where local education leaders shaped priorities in partnership with NHS, local government, and business. Burnham's No 10 North proposal could disrupt Whitehall similarly.
Second, businesses as opportunity engines: Greening points to Leonardo, a helicopter manufacturer in Yeovil, which created thousands of skilled jobs by working with local education. She argues Burnham should seek out such businesses and measure their social mobility impact.
Third, Treasury reform: Greening says the Treasury must value investment in "lives on track" rather than minimising costs of lives off track. It needs a prevention-first approach and better measurement of good growth. She criticises the Treasury for not innovating on tax policy or devolving its own budgets.
Burnham's opportunity
Greening concludes that while challenges remain, Burnham's vision presents a huge opportunity. "Good growth in every postcode? Bring it on; now it's time for delivery," she writes.
