The previous government’s flagship Levelling Up policy became too toxic for the Labour to warrant the name even worthy of mention. To a greater extent, it was cynically leveraged by the Tories for electioneering purposes.

But that is not to say that there is still an acute need to actually level up regions like Yorkshire. The policy name may have had a bad name but the idea does not. The premise is right so long as ambitions are sincere.

If the current Government wants to prove its sincerity when it comes to bridging regional inequalities and helping communities across Yorkshire, then it would start off by offering to see through promises made by the previous administration.

There are currently four major regeneration schemes in Kirklees with question marks over their future.

Commercial Street in Batley town centre.

placeholder image — Commercial Street in Batley town centre.

Kirklees Council put successful bids forward to the Levelling Up Fund under the previous Tory government, with plans to regenerate Batley town centre given a £12m cash boost, followed by Marsden Mills, which was allocated £5.6m.

In November 2023, a further £64.5m was awarded in the third round of funding, to be split across Huddersfield Open Market and the Penistone Line Railway.

By green lighting the funding, the Government would not only outflank the Tories but also send a signal to the region that it is ready to take the task of levelling up seriously, even if it has been dropped from the title.

One of the main reasons why the region resoundingly rejected the Tories at the general election was the previous government’s failure to deliver for Yorkshire. Labour must avoid the same mistake.