"Levelling-up" cosmetic only, as it always has been!

John Harris is absolutely right in saying that "levelling-up remains a matter of political cosmetics", with both his excellent article (The vaccine brings hope. But for many, the crisis will last, 07/12/20) and Helen Pidd`s report on the recent findings by IPPR North showing how there is no evidence to indicate that the government`s supposed policy of "reducing regional differences" is having any effect whatsoever (England`s inequalities deepening and "should be wake-up call to PM"). This is hardly unsurprising when the ideas of a "Northern Powerhouse" and the"leveling-up" programme were both introduced only to win votes prior to the 2015 and 2019 elections respectively, rather than become the basis of a domestic policy intent on lasting change.What is surprising, however, is that the Labour leader is so quiet on the subject. One would have thought that having upset so many of his party with not only Corbyn`s suspension but his lack of decisiveness generally, the Tories` failure to deal positively with the north-south issue would provide Starmer with an ideal opportunity to create at least a semblance of a united front. History shows us that when a Conservative government makes a big deal about being a "one-nation" administration, the result is inevitably cosmetic only. In Disraeli`s case the reforms were described by historians as "window-dressing", and there is clearly no reason for modern historians to reach a different conclusion for Johnson!