Sinead Butler
Sep 19, 2021
Amidst the cabinet reshuffle in recent days, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been rebranded as “Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities”, and of course, you can count on Twitter to make it into an instant meme.
The new change was decided in order to underline the department’s “central mission to level up every part of the UK.”
Former Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane has been appointed as the new Head of the Levelling Up Taskforce. Along with this, the department also has a new Secretary of State for Levelling Up - Michael Gove MP who helped the PM establish the task force.
A Government statement said: “The Secretary of State will drive cross-Whitehall efforts to deliver a programme of tangible improvements in every part of the UK as we build back better from the pandemic, and deliver on the people’s priorities.”
“This Government is committed to uniting and levelling up every part of the UK and I am determined that as we build back better from the pandemic we are geared up with the teams and expertise to deliver on that promise,” said prime minister Boris Johnson.
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However, some people can’t help but see the funny side of this announcement and have taken to Twitter to mock the name department name.
One person compared the name-change to something straight out of the comedy film, Zoolander.
I dunno. 'Department for Levelling Up' sounds a bit... https://t.co/DvdOBQxrkB— Stephen McGann💙 (@Stephen McGann💙) 1632040943
While another thought notion of “levelling up” was a pretty ironic rebrand and shared news articles referring to how “Nearly 80 per cent of towns getting share of £725m of government funding represented by Conservative MPs.”
‘Department for Levelling up’ https://t.co/ppuqXgbtWL— Toby Earle (@Toby Earle) 1632039403
As another joked that the name could also be referred to when putting up shelves.
Hi, is this the 'Department for Levelling Up'... Yes, good, can you send someone round to help with this shelf I'm putting up?— Vincent Rowlatt (@Vincent Rowlatt) 1632048008
Some compared the department name change to the “Ministry of Truth” from George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984.
Department for Levelling Up: we’re in Ministry of Truth territory now. Levelling up would need the poor and disadv… https://t.co/YYfjkUtFnM— Dr Eric Farmer (@Dr Eric Farmer) 1632043885
The Department for Levelling Up? I'm assuming this is a joke. My take on 1984 has always been that it was a warning… https://t.co/45PBVPE3Wn— Rod Duncan (@Rod Duncan) 1632048478
Or the Ministry of Magic perhaps?
The Department For Levelling Up sounds like its the kind of thing run by Dolores Umbridge https://t.co/d0JDV5RcSN— Mel Kowal 🧡 (@Mel Kowal 🧡) 1632051404
*Queue The Thick of It reaction GIFs*
The Department for Levelling Up. https://t.co/PQgPafzWlB— Keano 💙 (@Keano 💙) 1632040792
Department for levelling up... what political nonesense is this https://t.co/vzjyGLSt9k— Just *heavy sigh* (@Just *heavy sigh*) 1632050658
Monty Python has also been a popular comparison with someone also referencing the sketch “Royal Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things.”
Department for levelling up? This certainly sounds a tad... Monty Python-esque. https://t.co/6T0jED7CHE— Christmassy Archivist (@Christmassy Archivist) 1632044948
The Department for Levelling Up sounds like something from Monty Python https://t.co/ahPHPkK1FS— Christina Taylor 💙🇪🇺🇲🇹🇬🇧 (@Christina Taylor 💙🇪🇺🇲🇹🇬🇧) 1632048008
BREAKING: The Department for Levelling Up to be re-named the Department for Putting Things On Top of Other Things. https://t.co/ViCeAUCYBt— simon maginn (@simon maginn) 1632050865
'Department for Levelling Up' sounds like a Python sketch. We're a complete laughing stock.— Darren Whitfield (@Darren Whitfield) 1632041393
Elsewhere, someone else decided to give some other name suggestions for government departments - with a little help from Rick Astley.
new government departments: Department for Levelling Up Department for Giving You Up Department for Letting You Do… https://t.co/9pmoEgVtJX— Sarah 🇮🇹🌹#KilltheBill (@Sarah 🇮🇹🌹#KilltheBill) 1632048480
Here are some more of the best reactions:
The staircase at the Department for Levelling Up. https://t.co/S1PddfTlKY— Ian Reeve (@Ian Reeve) 1632051596
“Hello, welcome to the Department For Levelling Up” https://t.co/eh0miTSW8m— Oli Franklin-Wallis (@Oli Franklin-Wallis) 1632048489
Shouldn’t every government department be a department for levelling up? @luhcgovuk https://t.co/zW457tvTVA— Malcolm McKenzie (@Malcolm McKenzie) 1632051274
"Department for Levelling Up" Here's the official Govt dept crest https://t.co/UZW5bGYAvN— gazhay 🗣️💩💬⍨ (@gazhay 🗣️💩💬⍨) 1632042447
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