LONDON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- London has some of the most deprived communities in Britain, the capital's mayor said Wednesday as the British government unveiled the long-awaited plan to level up the country.
Mayor Sadiq Khan, responding to plans to direct more investment to the northern area of England, said: "Levelling up the UK must not be about levelling down London and withholding the funding and investment our capital city desperately needs. London has some of the most deprived communities in the country and they deserve support and funding just as much as other parts of the UK."
"I am determined that our capital city plays its role in helping to level up parts of the country that have been left behind for too long. When London succeeds our whole country benefits - and vice-versa. That is why I want to work with the government, other regions and business, to help level up London and every other town, city and region in the UK," Khan said.
The government flagship strategy announced by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove earlier on Wednesday includes 12 national missions that will shift government focus and resources to Britain's forgotten communities throughout the 2020s.
Gove described it as the biggest shift of power from Whitehall to local leaders in modern times, saying every part of England will get "London style" powers and mayor if they wish to.
Domestic public investment in research and development will increase by at least 40 percent across the North, Midlands, South West, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, he said.
"Not everyone shares equally in the UK's success. For decades, too many communities have been overlooked and undervalued. As some areas have flourished, others have been left in a cycle of decline," he said.
"The UK has been like a jet firing on only one engine. Levelling Up is about ending this historic injustice and calling time on the postcode lottery," he said. ■
