Setting out her thinking, Katharine Birbalsingh said that the traditional view of social mobility concentrates on the few who go, Dick Whittington like, from the bottom of the ladder to the top; far more important is a focus on wider numbers of people taking smaller steps up the ladder, as well as levelling up across the regions. She set out a fresh approach to raising social mobility focused on education, employment and enterprise and aims to widen our understanding of the factors in these areas that hinder or enhance opportunity.

‘In conclusion, we want to champion a fresh approach, which sees social mobility as the process of enabling everyone to find and apply their talents in ways that they enjoy and gives them purpose, and for our wider society and economy. It will require us to start thinking differently – about how we define social mobility, measure it and assess it – and about what really works if we want to make more opportunities for more people in more places.’

The speech has been reported on by the Daily Telegraph, The Times, Guardian, i-news, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Express and was mentioned by Rt Hon Liz Truss MP during Questions on Women and Equalities in the Commons.