Rescuing
Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected
Dictatorship
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Spin, not
face-to-face confrontations with the voters, is the Government's
chosen method of communication. Ordinary
people are dangerous. Ordinary people might ask a question
which throws a politician 'off message'; the Cabinet member
might reveal himself or herself to be a human being like
us, and not a programmed android. Worse still, he or she
might tell the truth.
Ann Leslie - Daily Mail, September
16, 2004
|
Is
New Labour really listening?
Alex
Brummer - City Editor, Daily Mail, May 18, 2005
The government
and business appear to be engaged in a dialogue of the
deaf. The Queen's Speech, which sets out the Government's
legislative programme, is filled with proposals that are
anathema to a free-market economy notably for flexible
working hours and extended maternity leave.
Although Gordon
Brown sought to soften the blow by promising to resist
Europe's 48-hour week, such measures undermine the basic
reforms to the labour and jobs market, which were the
essence of the Thatcher revolution. The reforms are among
reasons by Britain has enjoyed more than 50 quarters of
consecutive growth dating back to 1992 - and this at a
time when our European competitors are struggling in the
slipstream.
Indeed, the government
risks giving up its competitive advantage at a time when
productivity in Britain still lags behind that of most
of our Group of Seven neighbours. All of this has far-reaching
consequences. The creation of 900,000 jobs in the public
sector, as John Sunderland, the CBI president pointed
out last night, has done little to create an efficient
society.
The review by Sir
Peter Gershon has not been used as a path to more effective
and modern delivery by government but instead is seen
as a mechanism for replacing one group of public-sector
workers with another. There is much talk of the need to
combat the threat to Britain from China and India. We
are told that this nation needs to move up the skills
ladder. But even in research and development we are being
left behind.
Marconi has acknowledged
that it is shifting not just manufacturing but some R&D
to it new partner in China, Huawei - incidentally one
of the winners from BT's £10bn contract for its
21st Century network. The shrinkage of business and the
increasing burden of regulation, costed at £39bn
by the British chambers of Commerce, is also among the
factors holding back share price recovery after the dramatic
falls in the 2000 and 2002 bear market, which saw values
plunge by 41,9%.
Recovery is still
some way off and will remain so if business confidence
is subverted. That will have serious consequences for
savings, investment and pensions, - the biggest challenge
of all in Labour's third term.
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CBI
President attacks Brown over 'non-jobs'
By
Paul Eastham, Deputy Political Editor - Daily Mail, May 18, 2005
Gordon
Brown was attacked by a business leader last night for spending
millions of pounds of tax-payers' money on 'gender and diversity
observers' rather than doctors, nurses and police.
Dangerous
trend
Comment
- Daily Mail, May 18, 2005
In
two compelling questions, the president of the CBI exposes
a deeply disturbing imbalance in Britain.
How
many of the nearly 900,000 jobs created in the public
sector since 1997 were doctors, nurses, police? How many
were target setters, gender and diversity observers and
outreach specialists?
But
of course John Sunderland already knew the answers. Only
one sixth of the new public sector posts are in the front
line. The others are 'non-jobs' which burden the productive
part of our economy without offering value in return.
So
will the Government be shamed into changing its profligacy
over the public payroll? Don't hold your breath, when
it works so much to Labour's advantage.
In
Wales and the North East, for example, public spending
is 60% of local GDP - about the same as in Hungary under
Communism. In the Midlands, the figure is 40%. And as
the election showed, these are the areas where Labour
does best.
Yes,
some places need extra help. But in whole swathes of the
country a client electorate is emerging, understandably
reluctant to vote for efficiency in the public sector
because it would mean losing jobs. That is not only unhealthy
for regions that are increasingly dependent on state spending.
It is unhealthy for Britain too.
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CBI
President John Sunderland said the vast expansion of state 'non-jobs'
meant business was entering 'a critical era' in its relationship
with the Government. With the Labour Chancellor sitting uncomfortably
alongside, Mr Sunderland said New Labour had hired 900,000 extra
public sector workers since 1997, yet productivity in state services
had slumped.
Only
a sixth of the new jobs could be readily identified as front-line
public service staff, such as nurses, teachers, and police officers,
according to one survey by City Firm William's de Broe. At last
night's CBI annual dinner in London, Mr Sunderland urged the Chancellor
to ensure tax revenues were being spent well.
He
said: "If you take the money, please spend it well. Ensure
it produces real improvements in people's lives. How many of the
nearly 900,000 jobs that have been created in the public sector
since 1997 were extra doctors, nurses, police? How many were target
setters, target checkers, gender and diversity observers and outreach
specialists?"
Mr
Sunderland, 58, who is chairmen of confectionery group Cadbury
Schweppes, went on: "You have assured business that you have
no intention of adding further to the significant taxation burdens
which have already been imposed on business over the past eight
years - an incremental £43 billion. Be certain, we'll hold
you to that assurance. We still provide most of the jobs, most
of the taxes which fund out public services and all the profits
which support our pension funds and savings. It is therefore an
essential responsibility of Government to nurture business and
the profits its generates."
Last
night, the Chancellor's spokesman said Mr Sunderland's figure
for the number of extra public sector workers was wrong. He was
using government statistics - but one's for health, education
and public administration workers which include 'a significant
amount of private sector employment', the spokesman said.
He
said the Government had hired a large number of extra front-line
staff since 1997, including 32,500 teachers, 86,000 teaching assistants,
77,000 nurses, 19,000 doctors, and more than 13,000 police officers.
Is
New Labour really listening?
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