Politics

27 June 2009

Fraser Nelson reviews the week in politics

On tax, the work is done. Mr Brown looks to have succeeded in tricking the Tories into keeping his 50p rate of tax — the third-highest top rate in the world. George Osborne is understood to have been taken in by Mr Brown’s claim that the tax will raise money. The experience of France and Norway suggests that — on the contrary — it could cost the Exchequer several billion pounds in lost tax revenue as the golden geese take flight. The 50p tax is a practical joke played on the Tories which will be much more profound and affect many more people than the prospect of John Bercow grinning down at them from the Speaker’s chair.

There is a way to stop Mr Brown’s sabotage. Whitehall knights read the press assiduously, and will not want to waste time now on projects which they know they will be forced to abandon after the general election. Chris Grayling, for example, has explicitly warned that he will tear up any contracts signed for the identity cards scheme. Home Office civil servants have been operating an unofficial go-slow on the project for the last year. In the few areas where there is already clear direction from the Tories, the civil service is responding pre-emptively.

So the game can be played two ways. Expectation of power is power. The Tories can start to influence government right now, if they are clear enough in the guidance they give to those who will almost certainly be serving them a year hence. If Michael Gove were to announce the broad details of his ‘new schools’ policy now, then interested parents, churches or community groups could start making plans at once, in advance of the general election. All that is needed is a figure: say, £5,000 funding per pupil, give or take some regional variations. As soon as Mr Gove makes this figure public, his policy will, in effect, have been launched. Delay in this case, as in others, wastes valuable time.

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Carly

June 25th, 2009 6:16pm Report this comment

Never mind Speaker Bercow, it's the top civil servants and mandarins that will be the real problem. They should start with an immediate purge starting with Gus O'Donnell.

Ken

June 26th, 2009 10:15am Report this comment

Well the Conservatives could announce a joint ministerial mission for Day One in Office: the immediate repeal of all 5000 marxist-tainted laws passed by the socialists since 1997; call it "Conservative Clean Slate".

Then put all civil servants on notice that they will be required to resit Civil Service exams, sign new contracts with the incoming administration and compete in the open market for the 30% of posts left once the axe falls on the over-abundant non-jobs.

That should alert the civil service to sit on its hands whenever BrownGang orders bridge-burning and constituional fiddling.

JW

June 26th, 2009 2:47pm Report this comment

"Traditionally no party runs a candidate against the speaker" - I used to live in Selwyn Lloyd's constituency when he was speaker - both liberals (as they were then) asnd labour would routinely put up candidates, both eould routinely lose their deposits

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