Skills, innovation and Ben Bradshaw
5:35pm Thursday, 27th September 2007
So we're all back from Bournemouth and if I'm honest, most of the office looks a little bleary eyed, myself included. I've spent the last few days reading the political commentary about the conference, but being a wonk I was really interested in what it all means for policy.
So here's what I think I learned in my three days by the seaside:
1. The future might not be Gordon Brown
There was quite a lot of disagreement about the PM's speech. I'm in the camp that wanted some more poetry, rather than a shopping list of minor innovations like hand held computers for the police. I thought I was in a minority until I heard about a Newsnight focus group that was asked whether Brown or Cameron was the man of the future. Apparently no one said Brown.
2. It's the year of skills and innovation
It was impossible to move without bumping into a fringe meeting about skills. This seems to be the new buzzword for Labour, providing a way to develop the economy, keep ahead of China and encourage economic participation among young people. It's an interesting shift in emphasis from the old 'education, education, education' mantra and the good news is we're doing tons of work on it at Demos.
3. The market is dead, long live the market
The debate about public services was completely different this year. People like Liam Byrne (who secretly loves competition and incentives), were queuing up to backtrack. Nowadays it's personalisation that the government wants - so a little less emphasis on choice of provider, and a lot more on making sure people can get what they want within existing public services.
Sounds good to me, although I still think we need to get beyond the term 'consumer' and recognise that on issues from climate to public health we need to treat the public as partners. And it's a little disappointing that after years of talking about personalisation, the government still don't seem much closer to knowing how to actually do it.
4. Time for some vision
Overall, I was left wanting a lot more vision from the new cabinet - personalisation and skills are great, but why are we doing it and what kind of country are we trying to create?
I listened to the very coherent Andy Burnham talking about health reform, with fewer targets, less top down control etc etc. But it took Lord Giddens to make the far more challenging point that personalisation is just one part of a tectonic shift from negative postwar welfare to positive forms of welfare that invest in people's capabilities and potential. Where's Labour's story of change here?
5. Ben Bradshaw can cut a rug
If there's no dancing, then it isn't my political party. So thank god for health minister Ben Bradshaw, who was throwing some fantastic shapes at the equalities disco on Tuesday night. If he governs as well as he moves to Take That, then the NHS can look forward to a few good years.
So here's what I think I learned in my three days by the seaside:
1. The future might not be Gordon Brown
There was quite a lot of disagreement about the PM's speech. I'm in the camp that wanted some more poetry, rather than a shopping list of minor innovations like hand held computers for the police. I thought I was in a minority until I heard about a Newsnight focus group that was asked whether Brown or Cameron was the man of the future. Apparently no one said Brown.
2. It's the year of skills and innovation
It was impossible to move without bumping into a fringe meeting about skills. This seems to be the new buzzword for Labour, providing a way to develop the economy, keep ahead of China and encourage economic participation among young people. It's an interesting shift in emphasis from the old 'education, education, education' mantra and the good news is we're doing tons of work on it at Demos.
3. The market is dead, long live the market
The debate about public services was completely different this year. People like Liam Byrne (who secretly loves competition and incentives), were queuing up to backtrack. Nowadays it's personalisation that the government wants - so a little less emphasis on choice of provider, and a lot more on making sure people can get what they want within existing public services.
Sounds good to me, although I still think we need to get beyond the term 'consumer' and recognise that on issues from climate to public health we need to treat the public as partners. And it's a little disappointing that after years of talking about personalisation, the government still don't seem much closer to knowing how to actually do it.
4. Time for some vision
Overall, I was left wanting a lot more vision from the new cabinet - personalisation and skills are great, but why are we doing it and what kind of country are we trying to create?
I listened to the very coherent Andy Burnham talking about health reform, with fewer targets, less top down control etc etc. But it took Lord Giddens to make the far more challenging point that personalisation is just one part of a tectonic shift from negative postwar welfare to positive forms of welfare that invest in people's capabilities and potential. Where's Labour's story of change here?
5. Ben Bradshaw can cut a rug
If there's no dancing, then it isn't my political party. So thank god for health minister Ben Bradshaw, who was throwing some fantastic shapes at the equalities disco on Tuesday night. If he governs as well as he moves to Take That, then the NHS can look forward to a few good years.
LOGIN to add comments
Comments