There has been 'no plan' and 'no action' on levelling up from Government, says Lord Heseltine

Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Michael Heseltine also called for more powers to be devolved to local bodies, saying that if he were in Downing Street he would instantly back plans made by devolved mayors to improve their areas.

After calling Mr Gove’s Conservative Party Conference speech “disappointing”, Lord Heseltine told Sky News: “He didn't say anything. It was all words, no plan, no action no detail, so we're waiting now on the white paper.”

He added: “I can't pretend that there’s any grounds from an optimistic assessment on anything that’s happened so far.”

The appointment of Mr Gove to head-up the newly renamed Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was seen to some commentators to be an indication that the Government is taking the agenda seriously, given Mr Gove’s longevity in Cabinet service.

However, many are still unclear on what the slogan really means.

Speaking at the party’s annual conference in Manchester last week, he said that ministers “want everyone to have the chance to choose their own future, to own their own home, to walk the streets in safety and to live their best life.”

Lord Heseltine believes that the success of the promise is “totally dependent upon a change in the government's approach to the way we spend money, raise money, use money.”

At the moment, he says: “It is based on what civil servants in London think are the best ways forward.

“Whereas, in every other advanced country you have powerful local leaders who relate the available cash to the circumstances on the ground, and that is what we fail to do.”

He went on: “If I was in Number 10 Today, I would know exactly what needs to be done, and I will do it in 24 hours.

“It means simply saying to elected mayors, what is your plan? Agree it with us, and we will back it.”

Lord Heseltine also accused the Prime Minister of missing an opportunity in his keynote speech to lay out how he intends to level up.

“I think he obviously wanted to get the boys and girls on side and he succeeded in doing that, after all that's an important part of the party conference,” he explained. ,

“But the universal common theme, I think, is that he missed a great opportunity.

“Because again, there was all this talk about levelling up, but the language means nothing unless you have an agenda, and a set of proposals and income.”