The British government’s white paper on “levelling up” falls short

AFTER A MONTH of rows about cake and Prosecco—who consumed them; who invited whom; who knew—Boris Johnson has been badly damaged. Police are investigating a dozen lockdown-busting gatherings, some in his offices and residence. A report by a senior civil servant, published on January 31st, was gutted of detail in order to prevent that investigation being compromised, leading to claims of a cover-up. Despite it all, Conservative MPs seem inclined to wait until after local elections in May to decide whether to depose their prime minister.