Read: To make a real difference, we need to define how we’re going to get there

Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley Robbie Moore chairs the recently launched Levelling Up Goals in Parliament. 

We speak to Robbie about the levelling up agenda, the importance of businesses and universities and what policy changes he would make to further spread opportunity.

Q// What does levelling up mean to you?

A// It’s about looking at constituencies like mine, which is diverse in all manners of respect, and asking how can we make things better, how can we join up community groups, the education sector, healthcare and businesses to drive positive change. I think it comes down to rebalancing our economy but it’s also about creating opportunities for all - across my constituency in West Yorkshire and across the whole country as well. 

Q// How important is a cross-party approach, if we’re going to succeed in levelling up the country as a whole?

A// It’s vitally important, we all enter the world of politics or public service to do the right thing, based on our party or core values we may as individuals believe that the journey to achieve levelling up is slightly different but what we can’t lose sight of is that we’re all in that public role to do the right thing for our communities and the whole of the UK. So getting politicians involved from all political parties is crucial to making real change. 

It’s wider than that though, it’s about engagement with other sectors - health, education, the business community and the voluntary sector need to be involved if we’re going to make real change on the ground. 

Q// Why do we need the Levelling Up Goals to help achieve real progress?

A// The term levelling up is broad, it means different things to everybody. If we’re going to make a real difference on the ground, we need to define how we’re going to get there. Having a clear set of 14 goals established gives us a route map that we can work around to achieve the overall aim of levelling up our communities.

The range of goals that we’ve identified; from strong foundations in early years, right the way through to building homes and sustainable communities, and levelling up the digital divide, all of these 14 goals enable us as individuals to champion the sectors that we have influence in. It also enables us to measure progress and cross check that we are making the right changes in the right places. 

By having 14 goals it does enable us to drill down into the detail. Let’s take extending enterprise as an example, which is something that I’m really passionate about, where we are wanting to upskill and create the right skill-set for local demand, bringing businesses and the education sector together. Unless we have that clear goal for that area and work out the mechanism of how we’re going to extend enterprise, it becomes meaningless if we’re just talking about levelling up. That’s what really excites me about this, it adds weight to what we are trying to achieve. 

Robbie Moore MP

Q// How important are businesses in finally cracking levelling up? 

A// Before becoming an MP I spent 12 years in the private sector working for an SME sized business, so I know the vital role that businesses can play. I’m really excited about the energy and enthusiasm that I’ve seen from some of the businesses in my constituency - Keighley has many strong manufacturing, engineering, tech-based and textiles businesses who are wanting to grow, even during the pandemic. One thing that is resonating with me is that the skill-set that they need isn’t there at the moment, they are hungry for new manufacturing and engineering talent to come through. I think we have a real part to play in driving the education agenda and putting more weight on technical and vocational based education and the interplay with businesses. 

I’ve been working very closely with Keighley College who are now interacting with businesses throughout the region and designing courses to meet local demand and the uptake has been great. I think that’s a great model and something that can be rolled out on a national scale because it’s something that works. What we have seen is a bit of a failure at a national level, with the feeling that everyone has to go to university. I’ve got businesses in my constituency telling me that they don’t need people that have been to university, they value those who have a technical or vocational skill more. There’s a strong role for us to play in our advocacy roles, to support students making the right decisions for them as individuals and to have that strong link with businesses.

Q// Where do you see universities fitting into this levelling up agenda?

A// I think universities are a crucial lynchpin to be able to make this positive change. I've had several meetings with Bradford University and one of the interesting things is that the mindset of many universities is really changing. There is a realisation that the domestic agenda is changing, there is a drive to enhance our domestic offering through manufacturing, engineering and tech but also through the service sector. 

From discussions I’ve had, this has changed how universities interact with local communities, further education offerings and businesses. If we are going to provide the right offering for students and the right courses that meet demand, we need to open the parameters and speak to businesses and young people that are coming through. I really think that universities can play a key role in this, absolutely. 

Q// If there was one law that you could introduce or change to help achieve levelling up, what would it be and why?

A// Where do I start? When we’re talking about young people and raising aspirations, I think I would really like to see more weight put on the vocational and tech-based educational sector with more funding. Almost equal funding, through policy and legislation, and recognition from the Government that actually going to university isn’t the be-all and end-all - it's about choice at that ground level.

I’d love to see, as my number one, far more emphasis and a real push forward to create more choice at a grass root level and put more weight on the education sectors for vocational and tech-based subjects.