Blair seeks to reclaim political agenda
Prime Minister Tony Blair has sought to reclaim the political initiative after a damaging week, with a major speech on domestic policy.
Following the chaos surrounding last week’s Government reshuffle and attacks by former colleagues Robin Cook and Clare Short before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee this morning, Mr Blair addressed the Fabian Society this afternoon to set out the Government’s agenda of ‘equity and choice’.
The Prime Minister maintained that ‘improved public services is our objective because better public services drive equality, extend opportunity and bind society together’.
‘The core of our second-term programme is to rebuild the public realm and re-energise public services’, he argued, acknowledging: ‘It’s complex and it’s difficult to achieve. It’s long-term. But it will define what kind of country we live in for years’.
Insisting on the need for “fundamental, systemic reform” of the public services, Tony Blair said that his government remained committed to opening up the system and ending “the one-size-fits-all model of public service”.
The public – while committed to the idea of free education and health care – did not want services “uniform and undifferentiated at the point of use, unable to respond to their individual needs and aspirations”, Mr Blair argued.
“They want the consumer power of the private sector, but the values of the public service”, he said.
However, attention will be back on the Government’s troubles tomorrow, as Mr Blair comes before the House to explain the implications of his reshuffle – notably the seemingly snap decision to abolish the role of Lord Chancellor, and the Scottish and Welsh Offices.
Many would also suggest that Mr Blair’s problems come at a time when the Chancellor Gordon Brown is in the ascendancy – following his apparently successful deflection of the euro issue and the departure of Alan Milburn, a serious rival contender for the Labour leadership, in last week’s reshuffle.
Mr Brown delivers his annual Mansion House speech tomorrow evening.
