The Reform think-tank released a report today compiled by Frank Field, the highly regarded (at least outside of No. 11) Labour MP, who has an expertise in the causes (and possible solutions) of welfare dependency. Mr Field was originally part of the Prime Minister’s first cabinet, having being given the onerous task of reforming welfare. Not long after his appointment he was sacked, primarily because of the policy conclusions he had come to during his brief ministerial career. His removal is thought to have had much to do with the Chancellor, our future Prime Minister. Hence, the present state of the welfare state is the responsibility of the Chancellor.
Today’s report eloquently highlights the failings of Mr Brown’s New Deal. Far from eradicating youth employment as spuriously claimed by Labour’s Employment and Welfare Minister, Jim Murphy, the New Deal has cost a wopping £3.5 billion pounds and delivered very little. Youth unemployment is higher now than in 1997, and is continuing to rise. The most damning statement made in the report is, however, about economic activity. In 1997, the New Labour administration cited an improvement in the economic activity of working age people as an aim of the New Deal. A decade later the activity rate for 18-24 year olds has fallen from 76.7% to 74.4%, despite £2 billion pounds of government expenditure. The level is now even lower than in 1992. Another success for Mr Brown.
The Chancellor cannot be too happy about the release of this report, as it further damages his already tainted reputation. There are major problems with the welfare state in this country, problems that could have been better dealt with by Mr Field rather than Mr Brown. What the country needs now is new thinking in this important area of government policy. I fail to see how the expected change of Prime Minister is going to bring that about. Britain urgently needs a fresh approach to welfare.
May 17th, 2007 - 1:45 pm
Good day Phil. Hope you’re well. I realise that this is not really keeping to this topic but I just wanted to say how much I welcome the new Tory line on grammar schools. I agreed on pretty much everything David Willets was reported as saying about grammar schools. As former grammar school pupils I’m sure we can both agree that they were hardly full of the working class kids of South Bucks. There were a few but in general it seemed that the secondary moderns were where the working classes were supposed to go. Perhaps Willets really is taking on board what Polly Toynbee has to say. The question is posed though whether the Conservative Party will split if this kind of policy revision continues.
May 25th, 2007 - 12:49 pm
If you don’t pass your 11+ you always have option of going private. It all depends on your politics I suppose.