Blair joins battle on public services

Wednesday, 23 June 2004 12:00 AM

In a keynote speech the Prime Minister has said that his vision for public services "combines choice, excellence and equality in a modern universal welfare state".

He contrasted this with the Conservatives, who he claimed their "essential anti-public service ideology is shown by their policy to subsidise a few to opt-out of public services at the expense of the many".

Mr Blair highlighted Labour's investment in public services since 1997, which "systematically raised the capacity and quality of our public services."

In a gauntlet to his opponents, he said: "Now, on the basis of this clear evidence of progress, is the time to accelerate reform."

However, he stressed that Labour's proposals would go beyond mere reorganisation to "something quite different and more fundamental."

He explained that a Labour government would "put an entirely different dynamic in place to drive our public services: one where the service will be driven not by the government or by the managers but by the user - the patient, the parent, the pupil and the law abiding citizen."

Services would continue to be free he said, but they would take the form of high quality consumer services.

"This is a vision which combines choice, excellence and equality in a modern universal welfare state.

"We will contrast such a vision with that of the Conservatives whose essential anti-public service ideology is shown by their policy to subsidise a few to opt-out of public services at the expense of the many; to abandon targets for public service performance; and to cut the overall amount of public spending drastically."

However, Mr Blair stressed that choice was not an end in itself, as he underlined the importance of investment in capacity, essential standards and facilities. Without this investment "there is no credibility in claims to be able to extend choice to all."

"We have raised capacity to a new plateau. And it is from this plateau that we can climb to the next vital stage of public reform, to design and provide truly personalized services, meeting the needs and aspirations of today's generation for choice, quality and opportunity service by service on which to found their lives and livelihoods.

"Choice and diversity are not somehow alien to the spirit of the public services - or inconsistent with fairness."

Mr Blair pledged that as a result of his vision "choice and quality will be for all - driven by extra capacity, without charges or selection by wealth."

In addition to health, education and law and order this choice would be extended across the public services, he said.

"With growing capacity in our public services we can now accelerate reform. We have the opportunity to develop a new generation of personalised services where equity and excellence go hand in hand - services shaped by the needs of those who use them, services with more choice extended to everyone and not just those that can afford to pay, services personal to each and fair to all.

"It is now accepted by all the political parties that the economy and public services will be the battleground at the next election."

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