CAREER IN FOCUS

RT HON DAME MARGARET HODGE IS ONE OF THE KEY SUPPORTERS OF THE LEVELLING UP GOALS IN PARLIAMENT, HERE WE TAKE A LOOK AT HER WORK ON SOCIAL MOBILITY AND THE NEED FOR A CROSS-PARTY APPROACH TO LEVELLING UP.

SPOTLIGHT ON

Earlier this year a common architecture for levelling up Britain was launched that brings together policy makers, business and education around 14 Levelling Up Goals. The ‘Levelling Up Goals’ focus efforts on driving equality of opportunity at key life stages, from early years through to careers, alongside the barriers such as the digital divide, health and infrastructure and to provide a benchmark to track progress. While the eventual solutions may vary from party to party, levelling up should transcend party politics. Covid-19 has had an impact across our country and so, regardless of politics, levelling up is now not only more urgent, but even harder. It’s also clear that the inequalities that underpin levelling up matter for every single part of our country - this is a national challenge that requires a national response. A pandemic-weary public now wants to see our political class set aside differences and come together behind a broader national plan to level up opportunities in Britain and make the country work more fairly. The Levelling Up Goals are Chaired in Parliament by Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley Robbie Moore and have cross-party support from Labour MPs including Ruth Jones MP and Chris Bryant MP. Another Parliamentary supporter of the Goals is Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge, Labour MP for Barking since 1994. Dame Margaret has previously held several government positions including portfolios across education, work and pensions, business and culture. In 2010 she became the first woman elected Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, serving until 2015. Rt Hon Dame Margaret has been an active campaigner for social mobility during her time in Parliament. She has campaigned for better health services and infrastructure in Barking, as well as being a champion of inclusive regeneration in the borough - meaning new services, affordable homes and better community spaces for residents. As the Chair of a cross-party group on anti-corruption and responsible tax, Rt Hon Dame Margaret also fights corruption and updates the tax system to make sure people get the most out of their taxes. The group works hard to create a better tax system for all. Although co-operation across political boundaries is important, politicians must also recognise that they do not have all the solutions when it comes to delivering a levelled-up Britain. Communities, businesses and universities need to play their role transforming Britain too and politicians must connect up to that huge effort already underway. In a country that has had much division in recent years, equality of opportunity – people having the same chance to get on in life whoever they are – is that rare issue that everyone can agree on.