Nothing in this rag-bag of ideas to bring us out of the recession

Published on Monday 29 June 2009 20:28

THE Prime Minister's latest political re-launch, entitled "Building Britain's Future", is a travesty of the Trade Descriptions Act. Aside from the fact that most of its content refers explicitly to England rather than Britain, it is hardly a blueprint for the future, economically or socially. Instead, it is a rag bag of ideas – mostly re-heated from earlier re-launches – hurriedly thrown together after Mr Brown survived a political coup by his backbenchers a few weeks ago.

There are no "big" ideas and certainly nothing to inspire the nation in a time of trouble.

Churchill was honest enough to offer "nothing but blood, toil, tears and sweat". Gordon Brown promised to cut benefits to the young unemployed if they refuse to take a job or training; to subsidise four experimental carbon capture plants; to find 150 million for an "innovation" fund; to get rid of the last few hereditary peers; and to tweak English NHS waiting lists. Faced with the worst recession since the 1930s, and the strategic need to build new industrial sectors for the future to replace the wrecked economic growth engine that was the City of London, Mr Brown had nothing important to say.

Yesterday's Brown manifesto reeks of electoral populism rather than principle. The plan to let councils give more priority to "local people" on housing waiting lists is code for them to favour working class whites over immigrants. This proposal is aimed plainly at heading off the racist BNP in England. Whatever the rights and wrongs of current housing allocation policy, this move is reminiscent of Gordon Brown's earlier slogan of "British jobs for British people". That backfired when it became a rallying cry for the BNP. Let us hope this latest one – effectively, British houses for British people – does not have the same result.

The only faintly coherent element in the Brown plan is to pump more money into English council house building, creating construction jobs and providing more social housing. However, the emphasis on council housing gives the game away. This has more to do with bribing Labour backbenchers and buying votes in traditional Labour areas than solving the housing crisis or boosting construction. And nowhere is there a clue as to how it will be funded.

In fact, as Lord Mandelson revealed casually in a BBC interview, the government has scrapped for the next comprehensive spending review; ie it is not going to tell us what money will be allocated to individual spending departments for the period following the general election. This manoeuvre means the government can hide from the electorate which departments are going to get their spending cut.

Any extra money for English council house building will likely come from cuts in the cash going to other departments. If it is indeed "new" money (and how are we to know?) that would mean extra Barnett consequential funding for the Scottish Government. Perhaps the Chancellor might like to enlighten us.

Sir Michael should know when to lie low

GENERAL Sir Mike Jackson, the former head of Britain's armed forces, has always been outspoken. So it comes as no surprise that he has blundered into Scottish politics by declaring that Scotland would be safer by remaining part of the United Kingdom. In a democracy, it is always best if senior military figures (even retired ones) stay out of contentious constitutional questions – otherwise they risk compromising the neutrality of the military. Saturday's UK Armed Forces Day, honouring Britain's servicemen and women, was supported by the SNP in Scotland, as it should have been. General Jackson should not be trying to drive in political wedges where they are not needed.

As to the general's assertion regarding Scotland's security, the evidence is far for clear. There is no reason to believe that Norway or Iceland are any more at risk because they are not part of a larger state. The point is that both nations are members of NATO, and so have a collective defence. If there is an issue about Scottish independence and national security, it lies with the SNP's avowed policy of quitting NATO just as most small countries in Europe are trying to join.

The reason for the SNP's isolationism is that NATO possesses nuclear weapons. But there is no insistence that any NATO member harbour nuclear weapons on its soil. The SNP's anti-NATO stance would weaken Scottish influence in the world. Security is not about size, it is about having friends.

Welcome to BT ... service with a snarl

BT has been named and shamed as having the world's worst customer service relations. We wonder why?

CUSTOMER: I have a problem. You've cut off my phone line even though I paid the bill last week.

BT SPEAK-YOUR-WEIGHT MACHINE: This is a recorded message. Anything you say will also be recorded and used in evidence against you. It may also be used in training exercises with our human staff…

CUSTOMER (frustrated): Exactly. I want to speak to a real person.

BT: Press 1 if you are merely anxious. Press 2 if you are angry. Press 3 if you are on the verge of murder. Press 4 for all other inquiries.

CUSTOMER (pressing 4): Anyone there? Please. Please.

BT: Welcome. This is a recorded message. You are on hold. We value your custom. As does our chief executive, Ian Livingston, who earns a basic salary of 850,000, 1.7 million in annual bonuses, 1.7million in shares that vest after three years, and 2.55 million in incentive shares if BT hits its performance targets. In order to meet targets, we are laying off staff.

CUSTOMER: I WANT A HUMAN!!!

BT CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATOR: Hello, my name is Jasmine. I need to ask you a security question. What is you mother's first cousin's cat's name? Hello, is there anyone there?