Spelman’s a-turning

The BBC reports that the government has dropped some of its plans to privatise forestry. The general scheme will proceed, but the sale of 15 percent of publicly owned forests will be stalled while the government re-examines the criteria for sale.

Obviously this is a set back, but far from a terminal one. The forestry consultation document contains some very sensible ideas. There is no reason for commercial forestry to remain in public ownership. The Forestry Commission loses money and its predominantly coniferous crop and wasting agricultural land wrecks the environment and damages wildlife habitats. Privatisation would not lead to the spoliation of the shires. The document promised to increase the already stringent protection of heritage sites, rigths of access and areas of outstanding natural beauty. Besides, exploiting the entire crop at once is not a plausible business strategy. In short, the proposals are good for Britain’s economy and good for Britain’s countryside, and I hope that they are not dropped.

It won’t be easy: the opposition is both numerous and glamorous and the government has lost control of the message. Its predicament was epitomised by Damian Green’s pitiful attempt to justify the programme of sales and leases as a Big Society initiative on last weeks’ Question Time. The government should take its time to re-order its flawed communication strategy. This initiative should be about green government, not small government.