James Purnell’s clearly trying to set some Stakhanovite record for delivering soundbites today. After the “full employment” claim on Marr this morning, he issues an even-more-startling declaration in today’s Observer – that “Gordon Brown is clearly the heir to Blair”.
Whilst I’m sure Coffee-Housers will enjoy analysing which aspects of the Brown regime are a continuation of the Blair years, what Purnell’s suggesting here is that Brown is developing the Blairite reform agenda. And – just like the full employment claim – this is patently false. Reform is being rolled back not forward – city academies are increasingly obliged to follow the national curriculum; funding for independent health centres is being cut back; and then there are new central targets in everything from housing to skills.
As I pointed out a few days ago, welfare is the only area in which reform is truly progressing. This progress will continue tomorrow, with Brown set to back a series of welfare reform proposals which the the Tories have already put their weight behind.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in