We live in a desperately unequal society.

It’s bigger than the north-south divide because affluence and poverty are next door neighbours even in the economic powerhouse of the south east.

So the vision of levelling up opportunity across the country – the stated aim of Secretary of State Michael Gove’s White Paper – sounds laudable.

It’s a question of credibility.

The Tories have come up with 12 mission statements, one for every year they’ve been in office, amounting to a scorecard of failure. An admission their policies have led to the very inequality and hardship they now claim to want to tackle.

For Labour, promoting fairness is in our DNA. While their ‘levelling up’ is a smoke and mirrors ploy aimed at portraying themselves as the workers’ friend.

For example, local councils have a major role to play in fostering strong communities yet since 2010 the Tories have strangled them of resources. This has led to savage service cuts and council tax hikes, something that continues to this day.

We do not have a Secretary of State for Levelling Up; Gove is actually the minister for closing down, boarding up and laying off.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has done an incredible job despite having lost a staggering almost half a billion pounds in Government grants.

The Tory approach is pinch a tenner and offer a fiver in return. There are some vague promises around investment but in fact there’s no new money on the table.

What I see in Northwich are more and more folk queuing up for food parcels from Mid Cheshire Foodbank.

What they need are decent, secure jobs and affordable homes to support their families.

What I see are bus services slashed and a crumbling train station that collapsed last May.

What we need is better connectivity so constituents can get from A to B using inexpensive buses and trains, with modern and safe facilities.

What I see is an FE college in Hartford reduced to rubble. What we need are properly funded schools and colleges to improve life chances for our young people.

Labour’s alternative is about every person, regardless of background or where they were born, having the opportunity to realise their full potential.

That’s good for the individual, for society and the economy. Surely that’s the sort of country we should be striving towards.