Ideas for government
Peter Hoskin 1:26pm
Frank Field’s piece for the latest issue of the magazine is well-worth reading, and fecund ground for a weekend debate.
As he sees it, Brown and Cameron have to concentrate on the “post-Thatcher question” of “How can individual freedom be extended while at the same time protecting that degree of public provision which voters believe necessary for a civilised life?”
Cameron’s ahead on this issue, at the moment. But can the Government bounce back? The article suggests they can, but only by enshrining a “wider tax contract giving individual ownership and control over state programmes”. Whether or not Brown’s prepared to do this is another matter – but Field’s detailed suggestions should at least give our Prime Minister food for thought.
Do check it out, and register your views in the comments section.
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Mike
April 11th, 2008 1:42pm Report this commentA very interesting article. Mr Field would be very welcome on the opposition benches in Parliament.
Paddy Skarpetka
April 11th, 2008 3:07pm Report this commentFecund? Surely you mean fertile?
Ian C
April 11th, 2008 3:46pm Report this commentNot yet read his article and admirable as Field is (and is surely in the wrong party?) it sounds as if the premise is set in stone as to what public services government should provide. This is surely the key to the whole question of politics today - "what is government for?". The answer to this has become utterly blurred by the social democratisation of Britain since 1945, and especially in the past 10 years whence Nu Lab have turned Gov't into a disastrous (and wholly cynical) exercise in social engineering paid for by damaging stealth taxes about which there was no explanation nor manifesto undertakings.They have done what they have done because they could, not because they were voted in to do as they have. To answer my own question, this is categorically not what government is for - but what should it be for? That is the debate that this appears to be by-passing.
Fergus Pickering
April 11th, 2008 4:56pm Report this commentThre is no chance AT ALL of the present government doing anything that Frank Field may suggest. They hate him deeply. Only Kate Hoey comes close. They hate the Labour traitors (as they think) much more than the Tories. Don't you know this?
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