London politics news LIVE: Anthony Mangnall joins Tobias Ellwood in calling for Boris Johnson to resign

Don’t level down London, Boris Johnson warned

Boris Johnson was today warned not to pit London against the North as the Government unveiled its long-awaited plans to level up the country, writes David Bond.

With the Prime Minister under pressure over the partygate storm, ministers hope the White Paper on tackling inequality across Britain will shore up support for Mr Johnson and help the Tories hold on to the Red Wall seats they won at the 2019 general election.

But leading economist Lord O’Neill, a former Treasury minister, and Mayor Sadiq Khan said funding for the capital and the South-East should not be siphoned off to boost other regions.

London receives more public spending per person than any other area, according to Treasury figures, but has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic — with economic activity in the capital dipping more compared with the rest of the country and higher rates of unemployment.

Writing in the Standard, Lord O’Neill, said: “It’s not about giving London a smaller piece of the pie — it’s about creating a bigger pie overall, in which more people across the country can share.”

Our full story here.

Andy Street says levelling up policy will ‘address imbalances in the UK’

Andy Street, the Conservative West Midlands mayor, said the White Paper would “finally address the imbalance of opportunities across the UK”.

He added it had “set out a clear plan as to how it will build on the progress we have already made in the West Midlands to improve people’s chances in life”.

Mr Street said: “Prior to the pandemic we already had the fastest growing economy outside of London, with record homes being built, record numbers in work, and record investment in public transport.

“But with Covid knocking us for six we needed the White Paper to help get us back on track, and that is exactly what it will do.”

Energy regulator ‘could let suppliers hike bills by 50%’

Energy regulator Ofgem is expected to let suppliers hike bills by 50 per cent for the average household when it announces the next energy price cap on Thursday, experts have warned.

In its last update before Ofgem’s crunch decision is announced at 11am on Thursday, consultancy Cornwall Insight said that the 22 million households whose energy bills are tied to the price cap can expect their bills to rise to £1,915 from April.

The figure will also later go up to as much as £2,329 for the typical user in October, Cornwall Insight said.

Metro mayor Steve Rotheram: Levelling Up White Paper lacks fresh ideas and funding

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said the Levelling Up White Paper was lacking in fresh ideas and funding.

He said: “If ‘levelling up’ was supposed to be the Prime Minister’s defining mission then I am sorry to say that it is going to be Mission Impossible with this thin gruel on offer.

“Although there were a few encouraging elements, it is largely a rehashing of things we have already heard before. On the whole though, it reads like a recipe cooked up during Veganuary – something severely lacking in meat.”

Mr Rotheram said he was disappointed the document seemed to have drawn up more in consultation with people in the “Westminster bubble” than with leaders across the North.

He added: “Levelling up has to deal with the embedded structural inequalities that exist between regions of the UK. The White Paper seems to accept that principle but offers no plan or new resource to get there.”

Lisa Nandy: High streets are struggling as people do not have money to spend

Shadow communities secretary Lisa Nandy warned high streets are struggling as people do not have money to spend, adding to the Government: “They are about to hike up taxes. This does nothing to address it.

“What we needed was a plan to connect our towns and villages to jobs, to opportunities, to our family and to our friends, but they’ve halved the funding for buses, they’ve scrapped the rail promises to the North and where is the digital Britain we were promised?

“We don’t need to look to Rome, Jericho or Renaissance Florence for inspiration, because in Preston, Wigan and Grimsby people are delivering real change for themselves – not because of their Government but despite it.

“Imagine what we could do if they could get out of the way and give us back the power that we demand to make decisions for ourselves.”

Ms Nandy described the Levelling Up White Paper as “smoke and mirrors”, and was heckled as she said: “They have given more to fraudsters than they’ve given to the north of England.”

Levelling up north with ‘relieve pressure’ on the south, says Gove

Investing in the north of England and the Midlands through the Government’s levelling up agenda will create a better quality of life in the South, Michael Gove has said.

As he unveiled the Levelling Up White Paper, the Communities Secretary said: “By regenerating the great cities and towns across the North we can relieve the pressure on green fields and public services in the South. A more productive… and faster-growing North helps to improve quality of life and wellbeing in the South.

“That is why we are refocusing housing investment across the North and Midlands.”

Mr Gove said the Government would invest in 20 urban regeneration projects across the North and Midlands.

He said: “Economic opportunity spread more evenly across the country is at the heart of levelling up but it is also about community as well. It is about repairing the social fabric of our broken heartlands so they reflect the pride we feel in the places we love.”

The Communities Secretary also promised to “put British workers first in the global race for investment”, telling MPs: “We will also use the freedoms that we now have outside of the EU to reform the procurement rules to ensure that the money we spend on goods and services is spent on British firms and British jobs.”

Another Conservative MP withdraws support from the PM

Anthony Mangnall, Tory MP for Totnes and South Devon, has publicly withdraw his support for the prime minister and submitted a letter of no confidence.

He wrote on Twitter: “Standards in public life matter.

“At this time I can no longer support the PM.

“His actions and mistruths are overshadowing the extraordinary work of so many excellent ministers and colleagues. I have submitted a letter of no confidence.”

54 Conservative MPs must write to the 1922 Committee to force a vote in Boris Johnson’s leadership.

Stoke-on-Trent, Derbyshire and Warrington included in levelling up agenda

Michael Gove has confirmed more areas that will be targeted as part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

These include Stoke-on-Trent, Derbyshire and Warrington.

He previously said they would include Wolverhampton and Sheffield.

Michael Gove: Levelling up about ‘turbo-charging’ every part of the UK

Michael Gove is giving his update on the Government’s Levelling Up white paper to MPs.

He said the point of the levelling up agenda was not “slowing down” London and the south east but was about “turbo-charging” every part of the UK.

The levelling up secretary said he wanted “overlooked and undervalued communities” to be able to “take back control of their destiny”.

He said the UK’s history has been an “unparalleled success story but not everyone shares it”, with life getting “tougher” the further away people are from the capital cities.

Mr Gove said the gap between communities “must be closed”.

Harriet Harman pays tribute to late husband and MP

Harriet Harman has paid tribute to her late husband in the House of Commons, saying he was “the living embodiment of the coalition that is the Labour Party”.

The Mother of the House said: “Jack hated inequality and depression and his life’s work was a steadfast focus on supporting those who were fighting against it.

“His roots in the Irish working-class immigrant community, his solidarity with black and Asian people fighting against inequality, his respect for middle class people who, though not suffering hardships themselves, wanted to work to end it for others.

“That made him the polar opposite of the culture wars and the living embodiment of the coalition that is the Labour Party.

“He spoke up for people and they heard him and that made them stronger.”