The strange conversion (and eventual downfall) of a cabinet minister
Peter Hoskin 5:36pm
Call it incompetence, if you like – it may turn out to be criminality – but Peter Hain’s clearly underperformed as a Cabinet minister. After his resignation today, blogs, newspapers and politicians are quite rightly sticking their collective boots in. Just to strike a different tone, I thought I’d give Hain a bit of credit where it’s due – if only for a mid-office conversion on the topic of welfare reform.
By now, the facts are well-stated: Wisconsin-inspired welfare reform– which places extra stress on claimants finding work and uses private companies to help them do so – gets more people off benefits and lowers the burden on the taxpayer. Yet when Hain became Secretary of State for Work and Pensions it looked as though he’d turn his back on these truths. In an early interview with the FT he claimed that involving the private sector in welfare provision was not his “preferred option”.
It was surprising, then, that Hain’s first Green Paper actually proposed an increased role for the private sector. The extension of the Pathways to Work scheme; placing greater responsibility to find work on the heads of lone parents; and referring “difficult case” New Dealers to the private sector – all of these are strong reforming efforts. Further policy documents continued the reforms with redoubled pace. And even Hain’s rhetoric became that of a born-again reformer, as he claimed that the private and voluntary sectors have a “vital role to play” in welfare provision.
This is not to say that Hain’s record on welfare reform has been perfect – there are still areas where the Government could go much, much further. Nonetheless, the DWP has been the only department developing a non-centralising agenda during the Brown regime. In fact, Hain has achieved more tangible results than his Blairite predecessor, John Hutton, ever did.
With James Purnell replacing Hain, the question now is of whether extensive welfare reform will continue. Given the popularity of the Tories’ welfare proposals, surely it would be political suicide for Brown to reverse things now. But welfare reform is not the only area where Purnell’s got to deliver – the pensions system needs fixing just as much as his new department’s battered reputation. If he fails in these regards, then the Curse of the DWP might strike again…
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Comments
Max Kaye
January 24th, 2008 6:31pmI do hope the investigation is thorough and discovers whether Hain's pet think tank researched anything at all or was really just a personal 'fund tank'.
David Lindsay
January 24th, 2008 6:51pmNobody who doesn't read this blog has ever heard of the "popular" Tory welfare proposals. They are a means of conning core Tory voters into bothering to turn out at all next time. If they weren't, and if Cameron were serious about them, then they'd have been denounced in the Guardian and on the BBC. They haven't been. Don't be fooled.
Tiberius
January 24th, 2008 9:18pmDavid; if the G and the BBC haven't denounced the policy, it is because they know how popular it is with the country. Fraser has made the case better than anyone about the dreadful consequences of welfarism, and with common-sense gradually returning to the mind of the electorate after ten years of absorbing the Blair con trick, it is an issue which will gain coverage.
Nicholas Millman
January 24th, 2008 9:38pmToo late for any damage control David! I fear you are merely whistling into the wind - and I don't really mean whistling! I like a cabinet, even a shadow one, that takes its time with policy and doesn't rush into hasty, ill-conceived, copycat-lite legislation of the kind we have just seen A Darling u-turn on! This government is rubbish - you need to face it.
TGF UKIP
January 24th, 2008 11:25pmDavid Lindsay, Bang on! Take no notice of Tiberius and NM, they're both Grade A, pom pom wielding Davists. Any Tory "reform" which is especially PC or likely to receive approval from the Guardian/Independent is shouted from the roof tops but anything which might have a hint of conservative radicalism is hedged, trimmed and reversed at the fist cough and splutter from the Today programme. Real Labour and Blue Labour, they're like Stork and margarine.
Nicholas Millman
January 25th, 2008 12:32amGrade A maybe but I've never wielded a pom-pom or voted for a Welshman in my life! I look at the viable parties and I know what needs to happen. My enemy's enemy is my friend.
Frank Pulley
January 25th, 2008 1:29amI wonder why the Newsnight piece on Hain last night is still not available on the BBC web video? They are still showing Wednesday's programme. Strange! I understand Guido Fawkes is responsible for his downfall. I missed it.
Tiberius
January 25th, 2008 8:20amNicholas; TGF loves Dave really - he's just playing hard-to-get. Having gauged the flavour of QT and This Week, it is getting more difficult to find anyone (even Diane Abbott) who has anything hopeful to say about Brown.
David Lindsay
January 25th, 2008 5:40pm"If the G and the BBC haven't denounced the policy, it is because they know how popular it is with the country" - as if that's likely to bother them! Nobody in the "the country" has ever even heard of this policy. That's the point. If you think that Cameron has the slightest intention of doing anything like this, then you should be sectioned. Are the Tories twenty points ahead, as they should be? Are they hell! With the bookies still only offering 9/4 against a Labour victory, Cameron is playing you like a violin, desperately trying to call out his core vote if no one else. Don't let him. If you want a party that will do things like this, then you need to stay at home next time and kill off the Tories once and for all.
TGF UKIP
January 25th, 2008 7:53pmTiberius - I really did enjoy that one. Laughed out loud and still savouring it. But why on earth do you waste your time with Question Time and This Week. Particularly the latter - two giggling, simpering, metropolitan lefties playing up to each other to justify their fees presided over by the ever arch Andrew Annabel Neil. It's a political programme that really does need a new producer. BTW, David Lindsay don't agree with all of your posts but on this second one here I heartily applaud you again - Bang On!