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Only 1 in 5 clear what ‘levelling up’ means. Do you know? If so what do you think it means

(199 Posts)
PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 10:28:57

To be honest, I'm surprised the number believing they know is as high as that. So 18% agree that they had heard it [the phrase levelling up] and have a clear idea of what it means.

30% – I had not heard this before today

21% – I had heard it but don’t know what it means

30% – I had heard it and have a vague idea of what it means

18% – I had heard it and have a clear idea of what it means

From Opinium.

Doodledog Sun 08-Aug-21 10:33:29

I think I'm in the 30%. Or possibly I only think I have a vague idea, and am therefore in the 21% ?

It means whatever the government say it means, doesn't it?

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 10:41:25

You're probably right Doodledog. This governments marketing department does go in for phrases that can mean different things to different people.

But this has been the main promise, particularly to gain the so-called Red Wall votes. I would be really interested to know what individuals think the government will actually do to "level up" the country. Who will win and who will lose to get this "level" playing field? Or how will they do it so no one loses? Also, how will it be paid for or is this not as important as the phrase?

MaizieD Sun 08-Aug-21 10:44:22

Considering it was supposedly a key message (after getting b*y Brexit done, of course) in the 2019 General Election I'm surprised that it seems to have reached so few people.

MoorlandMooner Sun 08-Aug-21 10:51:24

Judging by all experience so far levelling up means giving contracts equally to all one's friends.

We aren't really meant to understand it are we. Otherwise we would be able to measure performance against targets and that could be dangerous.

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 11:01:29

I'm sure those voting for the Tories must hav an opinion. It was aimed at them after all.

Blossoming Sun 08-Aug-21 11:04:00

I know what it means in gaming.

Parsley3 Sun 08-Aug-21 11:05:18

It is meaningless. A true levelling up also involves a "levelling down "from the top and that won't ever happen.

JaneJudge Sun 08-Aug-21 11:06:25

I have heard it but I've heard nothing to suggest what it is they are actually going to do. Amanda Milling MP is apparently going to travel the country in 'poor towns' spreading the word like a modern day Dick Whittington

Sarnia Sun 08-Aug-21 11:21:03

If it's a Government term it will come under 'cooking the books'.

Blinko Sun 08-Aug-21 11:22:53

Doesn't it mean making sure the rest of the UK is comparable in terms of life opportunities and standard of living as the jolly old South East?

Of course, there's no information at all about how this might be achieved.

Callistemon Sun 08-Aug-21 11:24:02

I don't know - surely if we are to be levelled up, it requires some to be 'levelled down'?
Rather like saying 'we're all middle class now'.

Just a nonsense.

varian Sun 08-Aug-21 11:35:14

It means more pork barrell rewards for voting Tory

Elegran Sun 08-Aug-21 11:35:53

If you are levelling UP an uneven lawn, for instance, you are adding compost to the lower bits to raise them. If you aren't going to do that, but are moving stuff from the higher bits to the lower bits until it is all the same, you would just say you were levelling it. The important word here is UP.

Surely if they say that they will be "levelling UP" they mean that they will make everywhere as good as the best? If they do that, great!

I would bet on it that they won't, though. They will make cuts to everywhere except the very worst places, and justify it by claiming they are "levelling up", but they will only succeed in lowering the average level everywhere.

CafeAuLait Sun 08-Aug-21 11:42:06

Leveling up - when you go up a level in gaming. Only definition I know. hmm

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 11:47:42

varian

It means more pork barrell rewards for voting Tory

Even fewer people knew what that meant varian.

82% had not heard of the term.

11% said they had heard of the term but did not know what it meant.

7% said they had heard of the term and knew what it meant, but when asked to explain it gave the wrong answer.

1% said they had heard of the term and actually knew what it meant.

The Tory politicians speak a different language and hope that no one else is fluent in it smile

[https://www.markpack.org.uk/167804/how-many-people-know-what-pork-barrel-politics-means/]

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 11:48:32

CafeAuLait

Leveling up - when you go up a level in gaming. Only definition I know. hmm

Ah ha! Perhaps it means all those voting Tory will go up another level.

Alegrias1 Sun 08-Aug-21 11:53:41

Is this just a simulation then, like the Matrix? That would explain a lot ?

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 11:57:25

gringringrin You might well think so. I couldn't possibly say.

vegansrock Sun 08-Aug-21 12:00:40

There’s plenty of deprived areas in London and the South East - will they be levelled up as well?

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 12:11:39

Okay. I have found a bit that was in the manifesto where Johnson said it would involve:

investing in towns, cities and rural and coastal areas, using apprenticeships to balance out skills, giving areas more control over investment and creating new freeports.

That does sound a bit like buns for all to me but perhaps someone could take it apart.

Doodledog Sun 08-Aug-21 13:43:33

It's the sort of thing that see Labour politicians cross-questioned to the point of despair if they came up with a 'policy' like this.

Doodledog Sun 08-Aug-21 13:56:53

I've just had a thought! Perhaps 'levelling up' means learning Latin? That would do away with all the unfair advantages that go along with public school attendance, wouldn't it?

It's a spiffing idea, and will be a super way to deter children from neglected coastal towns from turning to drugs for want of anything to do or any reasonable hope of a decent future.

si casus quod ceciderit quidquam advenero

GillT57 Sun 08-Aug-21 14:04:18

No talk at all of funding so I understand it to mean:

- a combination of slashing funding in some areas ( where there is no chance of a Tory being elected of course)

- awarding of contracts to Tory pals to make a fanfare of initiatives in marginal seats with very little impact on people's lives

-Further divisive nonsense spouted about London and the South East, showing for example, higher average salaries, but not mentioning eye watering housing and transport costs.

-Further patronising nonsense spouted about 'the North' as if it one entity desperate for saving from itself.

-complete disregard of Norther Ireland, Wales, Scotland.

So, all in all, I think I have a fair grasp of what it means.

PippaZ Sun 08-Aug-21 14:12:01

I think you have got it, especially with the "no talk of funding".

Mr Sunak is, apparently, cut out of the cloth of all the previous Tories wanting "austerity" that will not actually touch them.

Sad, isn't it.