A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.
Today's News of the World reveals the Tories want to abolish two Whitehall departments: BERR and DFID.
posted by Luke Akehurst at 9:02 pm
Labour MP for North Durham since 2024. Labour Party activist since 1988 - firmly on the moderate wing of the party. Member of Labour’s NEC 2010-2012 and since 2020. National Secretary of Labour Students 1995-6. Parliamentary candidate for Aldershot (2001) and Castle Point (2005). Hackney Councillor (Chatham Ward) 2002-2014, Labour Group Chief Whip 2002-09, Chair of Health Scrutiny 2010-2014. Dad. Unite and GMB union member. All views expressed in a personal capacity. The rest will become evident from reading the blog.
7 Comments:
Surely, middle England would support thess closures.
It can no longer see the point of state intervention as it is now recognised that this policy only succeeds in producing a whole marzipan layer of inefficient management often working against any of the original goals.
As for third world initiatives, just see what's happened to environmental initiatives now that the recession has started to bite.
Just let Brown stand up and make some funding commitment to another rogue African state and see Middle England well up in collective outrage.
Do the triangulations.
10:43 pm, September 14, 2008
Is there a source other than the NotW for this? The Tories will immediately lose any support they've gained from the Church (Catholic or Evangelical) from being ambivalent over the embyrology bill if they suggest ditching DfID.
If we can stop self-destructing and unite behind renewed and bold leadership, we can do the Tories in on policies.
10:57 pm, September 14, 2008
I am in business. What did they do for me then ?
Nothing
11:11 pm, September 14, 2008
500,000 jobs to go in the next 3 months, according to the CBI (15 September)
Who on earth is not going to close down these useless and non-productive sectors of the economy?
1:38 am, September 15, 2008
Look at the history of Labour's efforts to promote international development. Whenever the Tories have come into office they've always shut down the department that Labour set up. I'd still be surprised if Cameron did this again though, since I thought his triangulating efforts meant the New Model Tories wanted to look like they cared about global poverty.
11:32 am, September 15, 2008
Most of these government departments need closing or streamlining. Labour have wasted billions on red tape, it's time for a radical shakeup.
Labour will be making massive cuts in 2009 anyway, the state is virtually bankrupt...they have no choice.
Like it or not its coming.
6:50 pm, September 15, 2008
I suspect Camerons priorities will be the dread and clinging poverty of city bankers (Ooops typo b for w)
GW
5:22 pm, September 16, 2008
Post a Comment
<< Home