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While the struggling Tories convenes in Manchester for its annual party conference, it has plenty to consider regarding its next steps. There is uncertainty if a viable path exists at all. These are difficult days for a governing group that now has almost nothing, if anything, new or unique to say to the electorate.

An Alternate Reality

Things could have turned out markedly improved if tangible progress had been made on an policy focus that resonates with people across the country: Levelling up. But the former leadership did not possess the slightest idea on how to transform the trendy talk on social mobility into policy reality. For the two years after the general election, it discussed what the term even meant.

I found it bizarre, because I had clearly defined for Johnson what social mobility entailed when we originally talked about it during his leadership campaign. The expression was a term I developed and used at the education ministry to talk about life chances. It served as our core mission, and its purpose is straightforward: social mobility is the method by which we realize equal access – not by taking opportunity away from those who possess it, but rather by extending options to those that lack them.

Essential Principle

An additional vital ministry expression we used, “talent is spread evenly around the UK, however access isn’t”, represented another a deliberate expression, representing the two halves of a equal opportunity plan. Initially, potential shared equally but not cultivated evenly through our education system. Additionally, access not provided uniformly by the private sector or our economy. Therefore, schools and companies were crucial to achieving better life chances. This was an agenda about the social fabric of our country – fostering individual capabilities and linking them with prospects.

What Levelling Up Became

How did levelling up evolve into under the Tory administration? Local investment schemes overseen from the DLUHC. Hanging baskets and rearranged intersections. A government strategy was released a significant period after the leadership change, which saw ongoing initiatives rebadged under the fresh social mobility slogan.

Consequently, a wider fairness strategy went undeveloped, as well as all the improvement that it may have generated – in capital, commerce, financial planning, taxation and in place-making. Additionally, in schooling, including a tertiary education that has become a scapegoat for elected officials – despite the fact that it remains the primary vehicle of upward movement for youth from modest backgrounds, including myself, this country has had in recent decades. Possibly the only engine of equal opportunity, operating at scale.

The Importance of Aspiration

Ambition is essential for our country to succeed. For hope to exist, there needs to be a realistic expectation that hard work and results are related; that if people aspire, they can attain. For political leadership, being able to instil a feeling of hope about the future is important. Research by the research body at the academic establishment and others, published last month, showed that the ministry’s focus zones I introduced as education secretary – community-focused methods to improving education outcomes – led to youth in those areas being up to 18 percentage points more hopeful about their future than those in similar areas without these programmes in place. The evidence is clear: just making an sincere effort on pro-social mobility policy can quickly and positively change how people view their future.

Squandered Chances

Ignoring this evidence, and in the middle of its post-Johnson leadership contest, in September 2022, the Conservative government closed opportunity areas down. What reason would someone in those areas vote for a party that took that action? This specific initiative is a clear case of what might have become a transformative Conservative government agenda on social mobility, but that possibility was completely wasted. Strategies such as this can create belief and drive. In contrast, as the ruling party discovered, breaking the promise of social mobility is the most expensive error any leadership can make. Voters punished the leadership for its incompetence but, perhaps most of all, for its broken promises on social mobility.

Today’s Political Reality

Now the baton on life chances and equal chances has been taken up by a opposition party. The old slogan has been cast off. The current administration has its own public messaging of “eliminating hurdles to advancement”. The organization that is increasingly displacing the failing Tories, the challenger, also has its own language – “industrial revival”. This expression to talk about new opportunities in communities like the one I was raised in, in my hometown. It promises that an historical manufacturing base can be reborn into an modern manufacturing sector.

For the public, it must feel like a déjà vu experience. Similar challenge, new terminology. But – as yet – no results.

What Must Change

If Labour and Reform UK want to avoid the similar destiny, both these parties should understand the Conservatives’ failure on social mobility; that fair chance language is simple terminology, but effective implementation of more equal results is far more challenging. The UK’s endemically weak life chances remains the primary challenge for our country, with the next generation unable to get a decent career start, those working hard in employment with minimal progress after the housing costs are covered, and individuals nationwide without any real hope their offspring will be able to do improve in life than they have.

Politicians can mention fairer opportunities as much as they want. But where is the party that has the comprehensive policy agenda on life chances? I observe no such party. Whoever gets there first, wins. Not only for themselves, but, significantly, for a complete society that has urgently needs fair chances so badly.