Boris Johnson has brought in a new adviser for "levelling up" - nearly 18 months on from his 2019 election victory.
Tory MP Neil O'Brien has been appointed to drive forward the Prime Minister's election pledge amid reports of confusion in Government about what the idea actually means.
Downing Street also announced that a white paper would be published later this year to put meat on the bones of Mr Johnson's promise to stamp out regional inequalities.
The PM pledged to repay the trust of voters in "Red Wall" seats who helped get him into No10 but the Covid-19 crisis meant that some of his manifesto commitments have been gathering dust.
A senior Cabinet Office official told the FT there was “a widespread cluelessness” about what levelling up means, with officials in No10 joking it was "a slogan without a purpose”.
The move comes as the Tories scramble to regain control of the agenda after a wave of sleaze allegations, including a row over the funding of the lavish refurbishment of Mr Johnson's Downing Street flat.
Downing Street rejected criticism that it was late in the day to begin work on a 2019 election pledge.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We're making multi-billion pound investments to transform the country's prosperity and spread opportunity already.
"We have the opportunity to go further and that's the work Neil O'Brien has taken up."
Asked to define what levelling up actually means, the spokesman said: "It's about improving living standards and unleashing enterprise and growth all over the UK.
"It's about spreading opportunity because while we know potential is evenly distributed, we know opportunity isn't."
It comes after Mr Johnson also decided to revive Tony Blair's old No10 delivery unit to push through his political agenda -nearly two years on from entering Downing Street.
Mr O'Brien, a former special adviser who represents Harborough, in Leicestershire, said: "Levelling up has been a real passion of mine for many years, and I’m incredibly excited by the Prime Minister’s agenda.
"After such a challenging year, there has never been a better time to unite and level up the country.
"It’s absolutely crucial that we bring opportunity to every single part of the UK by making sure our spending, tax, investment and regeneration priorities bring about meaningful change."
It also comes ahead of the "Super Thursday" local elections, with ballots for local councils, police and crime commissioners, metro mayors, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd.
The polls mark the first electoral test since 2019, with pressure on both Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson to win a key by election in Hartlepool and critical mayoral races in places like the West Midlands and Tees Valley.
In a blow to Labour, a shock poll has put the Tories on course for victory in Hartlepool on Thursday.
The Survation poll for ITV's Good Morning Britain put the Conservatives on 50% - a 17-point lead over Labour in a seat the party has held since 1974.
Mr Johnson told Tory activists on Monday: "When we last had these elections, the council seats that are up on Thursday, don’t forget that back then we were way ahead of Labour in the polls.
“I think I’m right in saying it was an absolute high water mark for us. We’re now a government that’s really coming towards mid term.
“And you would expect in these circumstances for it to be a tough night.”
Mr Johnson said Hartlepool would be a “massive challenge”.
“It would be quite an extraordinary thing if that were to happen," he added.
.jpg?w=600)
