Debbie Francis at the LEP: On the right lines

Debbie Francis fears the government’s flagship levelling up agenda is in danger of going off the rails and she isn’t afraid to let everyone know that.

The new chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) puts her case with passion. It’s a conversation she’d also like to be having with the Prime Minister.

“I’m seeing people quoted saying that London needs levelling up,” she says. “People are losing sight of what levelling up is supposed to be, somewhere along the line we’ve lost what it was.”

That may not be the view among councils looking to grab some of the cash in the government’s £4.8bn levelling up pot, to help solve some of the specific problems on their doorsteps. But Debbie believes everyone needs to be reminded of the bigger picture, including Boris Johnson, who she’d love to “have a chat” with.