An Oasis

Enterprise and Flexibility

Chancellor of the UK's Exchequer, Gordon Brown, lays out his vision for a Britain of Enterprise in today's Telegraph. Some suggest that he is simply lying, others that he believes what he is saying (but that he doesn't understand it). Conspicuous choice of outlet aside is Brown really setting out his credentials as son of Thatcher or is there some other, more insidious, rationale?

This New Labour government seeks to eschew the traditional politics of right and left, casting itself as a modern social democratic party following a pragmatic policy programme which seeks to deliver security and prosperity to all. This political philosophy embraces the individual, the market, the community, the public sector to find equitable ways of delivering what people need, paid for by the most appropriate means. It should come as no surprise that Gordon Brown wants us all to become more American in our outlook on business and entrepreneurship; more enterprise equates well with more taxe take, more enterprise means more employment, more enterprise means more competition resulting in better business overall.

And on the same day, in the Guardian, Gordon Brown focuses on how he can spend the money generated by greater enterprise; expansion of childcare centres, changes to the child tax credit system and a big increase in the supply of affordable childcare.

Tomorrow's pre-budget report promises to be interesting.

Posted by Paul at December 9, 2003 05:50 PM |