Starmer speaks of 'frustration' at Johnson's 'unforgiveable failure' to level up - but says idea was 'right'
By Alexandra Rogers, political reporter
Sir Keir Starmer has admitted Boris Johnson was "right" to propose levelling up but said he was "frustrated" by the former prime minister's "unforgivable" failure to deliver.
The Labour leader also claimed the policy, which defined Mr Johnson's premiership, was "strangled at birth" by his successor, Rishi Sunak.
Speaking to Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby at the launch of Labour's local election campaign in Dudley, Sir Keir said "the idea" of levelling up that was put before the electorate in 2019 by Mr Johnson was "right".
But he added: "What that requires - and this is where I get frustrated - is if you really believe that... I'm afraid you've got to roll your sleeves up, you've got to put a plan on the table, you go the hard yards.
"And so what is unforgivable about Boris Johnson is, having made that the focus, he didn't do the hard yards of delivery and that's why people feel even more let down."
The Labour leader was equally critical of Mr Sunak, whom he said had "strangled levelling up at birth because he wouldn't put the funding behind it - and we know what the consequences are."
However, despite criticising the Conservatives for their failure to put money behind the policy, Sir Keir refused to commit any new funding to local councils, which are straddling an estimated funding gap of £4bn over the next two years.
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