The Queen’s Speech, 2007.
Talk is widespread among politicians and reporters alike, much filled with a sense of disappointment at the failure of Brown’s great vision to materialise, a vision for “a Britain that realises all of the talents of all the people”.
This kind of reaction was inevitable after Brown published in months gone by a number of Tuesday’s Bills, eliminating any excitement and anticipation from the day’s proceedings.
Such opinion is unimportant. I would much rather a flat line in the pulses of the general public and see ‘unexciting’ proposals succeed, than witness numerous palpitations as umpteen ‘off-the-wall’, headline grabbing initiatives haemorrhage money until catastrophe.
For some the announcements were lacklustre, absent of inspiration or revelation, but politics shouldn’t always be about showmanship as is so often seen in the Commons, especially during the Blair administration and Prime Minister’s Questions.
Gordon Brown is well acknowledged as a man of government as opposed to a man of politics, and for the most part I prefer this style; it is refreshing after ten years of Blair’s embellished rhetoric and political theatre, even though at the time it demonstrated good oration and viewing.
As the Independent newspaper put it, Brown has announced a series of “bread-and-butter” policies in the Queen’s Speech, and this is a trend he needs to continue against any media demand for political sensationalism. The British people need a man who speaks to them on their level, who talks as straight as he shoots. The papers may find this boring, but political theatre is best kept to PMQs.
The subsequently onslaught from David Cameron in the Commons will have won him favour for now. He is after all the better of the three current party leaders when it comes to fervent verbal discourse. However, his attacks came down to allegations that Brown was rehashing old policies whilst stealing others from the Conservatives. All of this from a man whose own aspiration upon gaining power in the Conservative party was to reduce party politics and foster greater inter-party co-operation.
If ever Gordon Brown were to feel a Tory policy to be of potential benefit to the British public over existing Labour legislation, I should hope he implements it. Any failure to do so and he would be letting down himself, his vision and the general public.
Thankfully this Queen’s Speech is a return to the form we witnessed during his political ‘honeymoon’. Rather than reel out a series of exciting policies in order to grab attention, he has stuck to the fundamental issues at hand, the very business of government. The verdict of Gordon Brown’s success as prime minister will be decided not with a week of headlines but months of good financial management and governance.
You will see little party politics with this new Labour leader, but the pensive and careful deliberations of a man of government.
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2 Responses to “The Queen’s Speech, 2007.”
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Hmmm.
He did stick to bread and butter issues, if bread and butter is continuing down the route of centralised control that Brown so loves. Brown bitterly resisted all attempts by Blair to free up the state sector, and as a result all that happened was the ‘haemorrhage’ of billions of pounds of tax payers money into inefficient systems. I too would love to see Brown’s ‘unexciting’ policies suceed - but the point is that they haven’t and they won’t! ‘off the wall’ thinking is required if Britain, Europe and the World are to stand even a chance of making a success of things.
I am afriad we simply could not disagree anymore on this issue. It is staggering to claim that ‘you will see little party politics with this new Labour leader’ (and i notice the ‘new’ is not capitalised ;) ).
Shunning the limelight in the weeks after Blair’s departure to deliberately look different? Having lessons in how to smile and advisors redesigning his wardrobde? Inviting Thatcher round to No. 10 on the same day as a key Tory policy announcement? Announcing the withdrawal of British troops from Basra during the Tory party conference - when he said he wouldn’t?
- hardly sounds like a man who is resisting media demand for political sensationalism does it?
Blantantly stealing the opposition’s policies when opinion polls shifted - and then denying it?? CANCELLING AN ELECTION based on short term opinion polls!?!
- hardly sounds like a man of government as opposed to a man of politics now does it?
There is nothing Brown has done since coming to power that has not be heavily influenced by party politics. After a decade of behind the scenes back stabing and plotting Brown is quite simply a party politics monster.
And if this careful and deliberate man really did cancel the election at the last minute so that, as he cliams, he wanted to show the British people what his vision was, then why had he already published that vision in months gone by? What vision was left for him to show us? Nothing - according to the Queen’s Speech.
You have made an incredible claim.
:)
A government’s legislative agenda is a broad one with ministers fighting months in advance of the Queen’s Speech in order that their proposals might secure a mention. Given the size of the speech in contrast to a government’s legislative agenda, there is no opportunity for all proposals to be included in the speech. Furthermore, larger bills can take an eternity to filter through committees in the Commons for approval meaning that not all of the government’s measures can be included in the speech.
Who knows, that innovative and pioneering proposition could be just on the horizon though I shall not be holding my breath just yet. What I certainly feel is that Gordon Brown should not come out with a series of ground breaking policies just for the sake of being seen to have some; that’s the role of the Liberal Democrats. Instead he should lay out his vision progressively and over the long-term after careful consultation and reflection. He’s already established a few fundamental foundations and now he needs to build on them.
The Queen’s Speech is often recognised as an affair brimming with ceremonial pomp and circumstance in celebration of a new parliament, yet containing little in the way of parliamentary strategy. His vision, a term I feel rightly met with ridicule, is most likely to be set out over a extended period through various political set pieces, such as The Budget and pre-Budget reports. Because of this I didn’t find it all too surprising that little new or groundbreaking was said in the Queen’s Speech.
I completely agree that new and revolutionary ideas are required for our continued success into the twenty-first century, especially when it comes to climate change and global warming. However, I am anxious that Brown and his advisors do not jump into the fray in a spontaneous and ill-equipped manner. To do so would be amateurish and could increase the probability of agendas you so deplore being pursued further.
Bureaucracy is the nail in welfare’s coffin and needs to be lessened in both the health and corporate sectors – all the more so given the tenuous economic performance of recent months. With so much at stake he needs an innovative idea, but one that has been well thought out and will bear the test of time. Some proposals mentioned in the speech were indeed lacking, but I don’t view them as necessarily indicative of Brown’s vision for Britain.
Finally, you are certainly right to say that Gordon Brown has been influenced and guided by party politics in his short time as prime minister. No modern politician can escape such pressures in a world of 24-hour media. For Brown to withdraw from an early election whilst denying polling as having any influence over the decision was a major faux pas. Doubtless he will play the political game during his time as prime minister, but he needs to conduct himself in a way more down to earth, honest and transparent. History shows that when a politician is seen as deceitful, trust in him falls on all sides.
On this last issue I refer you to an interesting read on the Guardian Unlimited. Yes, I Know, put on gloves if need be.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2209201,00.html