The UK economy remains fundamentally unbalanced. In 2019, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found the country to be more regionally divided than any comparable advanced economy, highlighting the negative disparities between many significant areas including unemployment, income, and health. Despite the government’s commitment to the Levelling Up agenda, in February 2022 the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ Deaton Review of Inequalities demonstrated the clear North-South divide was still pervasive.
I have always believed in a multifaceted approach to tackle the factors that hamper attempts to improve economic prosperity and prevent fulfilment of people's aspirations in communities crying out for levelling up.
I have repeatedly pushed the government to use the power of sport to assist in reducing regional inequality. Sport delivers undeniable benefits to people’s health, development, education, mental wellbeing, and economic prospects as well as building lifelong memories. Across the country, 6.6 million hardworking, committed volunteers across the generations provide sporting activities to young people and adults through over 100,000 grassroots clubs. Acknowledging the positive impact of teamwork and ‘play’, it is not hard to imagine how this vast network, passion and energy linked to the right investment could help unlock the potential of towns and cities across the UK.
Economically the argument is strong. Sheffield Hallam University identified that investing £1 in sport and physical activity generates a £3.91 return. The sector delivers £72 billion in social value annually, by improving participants health and wellbeing, actively preventing the onset of debilitating and expensive conditions.
Research commissioned by Local Trust identified how deprived neighbourhoods lacking essential infrastructure offering places for people to meet and interact, suffer worse social outcomes. Sport provides participants the opportunity to engage collaboratively with other members of the community bringing social unity that strengthens civic life. By improving social trust, belonging and engagement, Youth Sport Trust have demonstrated how areas are consequentially stronger and safer, with reduced community crime and improved inter-community cohesion.
The government must urgently address the neglect of local amenities and underinvestment in infrastructure across the North, if it wants to meet the missions set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. So far, delivery has failed to match the rhetoric. This needs to be addressed.
Independent analysis identified my home of Bradford as the country’s number one levelling up opportunity.
Sport is one of Bradford’s greatest assets and must be used to help rejuvenate the city. I have witnessed how the return of our professional Rugby League team, The Bradford Bulls, to my constituency has created the hope of possible regeneration for our area.
We have put in an ambitious plan to the government’s levelling up scheme for a world-class training complex for elite sports in Bradford South with a Rugby League skills, training and education centre to serve the people of Yorkshire and the North. Inspiring and facilitating a high-performance environment, can help grow a motivated and skilled workforce, bolster local business, investment, and stimulate local pride and community cohesion, making left-behind areas more attractive to live and work in and providing exciting prospects for local people.
Delivery on levelling up must remain a priority under Rishi Sunak’s premiership to fully deliver on the government’s promises to address regional inequality.
Sport can deliver prosperity for left behind neighbourhoods, bring our communities together, improve unfair health disparities, reduce crime and antisocial behaviour, and tackle inequalities. I believe in its power to unlock economic potential in our northern cities and towns, but the government must provide the proper investment in infrastructure, facilities and programmes that will allow my constituents, and those in areas like mine, to flourish.
Key Points:
• Tackling inequality requires a multifaceted approach that improves jobs and economic prosperity, health outcomes, education, and community cohesion.
• Government rhetoric on levelling up has outstripped delivery and redistribution is in danger of being deprioritised.
• Investing in sport programmes and infrastructure will facilitate a high-performance culture, grow a motivated and skilled workforce, bolster local business, attract external investment, and inspire a sense of local pride.
This article originally appeared in The Leaders Council’s special report on ‘The Levelling Up agenda’, published on November 30, 2022. Read the full special report here.
