Today (28 March) MPs took part in a Westminster Hall Debate on ‘Social Mobility and the Economy’. The debate was secured by the former Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, and she also used the opportunity to launch the Social Mobility Pledge.

Ms Greening explained that the pledge involves businesses:

1.    Forming partnerships with schools.

2.    Offering access to work experience or apprenticeships.

3.    Having recruitment practices that are transparent and open, to promote a level playing field for talent, such as by introducing name-blind recruitment.

Local MP, Rt Hon David Evennett, also participated in the debate. He spoke of how education and social mobility had impacted his own life, and he welcomed and strongly endorsed the Social Mobility Pledge.

Mr Evennett commented: “The Government have made considerable progress on education and opportunities, with 1.9 million more children now in good or outstanding schools. That is a real achievement and we should not minimise that. We should be proud of what has been done, but we need to do more. Local and central Government cannot do it all. It has to be businesses and communities—all of us—contributing and participating.

“Everyone has the potential wherever they come from. It is not party political; it is something for the benefit of this country and I endorse it strongly.”

Mr Evennett also used his speech to highlight social mobility in Bexley, and the good news that Bexley Borough was listed as a social mobility hotspot according to the State of the Nation report published in November 2017.