What would genuine plan for levelling up the north of England look like? Ask a German

Today a minister will wow political and business leaders from across the north of England with his governments achievements on levelling up. Sadly, I am not talking about a UK minister, although Michael Gove will no doubt be warmly received. I am instead referring to Carsten Schneider, minister for east Germany and equivalent living conditions.

Schneider will tell the Convention of the North in Manchester: The goal of creating equal living conditions everywhere in Germany can even be found in our constitution. There are good reasons for it. If regions are drifting apart, it is bad for everyone. If a variety of regions flourish, the whole country will prosper.

This is what real levelling up looks like: a basic law in the German constitution requiring equality between the 16 states and an annual process of funding redistribution to support it. When you visit Germany, you can see and feel the success of this policy wherever you go in the high standards of transport infrastructure and the public realm.