Milburn renews call for opportunity society

Wednesday, 1 December 2004 12:00 AM

Britain's economic and social prosperity depends on increasing social mobility and opening up the chance to succeed to all its citizens, according to Alan Milburn.

Labour's election supremo renewed his call for an 'opportunity society' in a speech to voluntary groups last night, saying it must be one of the foundations of a future knowledge economy.

Speaking at the launch of a report on voluntary group funding, Mr Milburn said Britain would succeed economically only if it was mobile socially.

"Our success in a globally competitive economy depends on unlocking the talents of all our people. A knowledge society needs an opportunity society. All these things have got to go together," he said.

"The job of government today is, of course, to provide security . but it is also to provide opportunity so that all have the chance to progress."

However, there was still a 'glass ceiling' on opportunity, he admitted.

"After seven years in government, we have raised it - but in truth we haven't broken through it yet."

If re-elected, Labour would extend opportunities to all by aiming for full employment, increasing childcare and making it more flexible, and ensuring that choice over schools and hospitals was not confined those with wealth.

And he hinted that reform on a large scale could be delivered, saying: "We know that the biggest reforms always produce the best results - Bank of England independent, choice in public services, devolution . we must deepen our commitment to progressive reforms that open up more opportunities for more people."

Mr Milburn told his audience that voluntary organisations would have a vital role in the new opportunity society, helping communities to take control and opening up public services to greater choice.

"I think the voluntary sector can extend its role not just in reforming public services but by doing something even more fundamental in spreading opportunity and deepening aspiration in the country," he said.

The voluntary sector should build on its role in providing housing, care for the elderly and environmental regeneration - among others - to become "as integral to public service delivery in Britain as either the public or private sectors".

"The public sector and the voluntary sector should be partners, not rivals. They have a shared ambition: to unlock new opportunities for families and communities alike, to create a Britain . where opportunity and prosperity are widely shared," he added.

He floated the idea that voluntary groups could enter into an equivalent of the private finance initiative called the voluntary finance initiative, giving them a mechanism to bring in private sector money and borrow from the markets against long-term contracts.

They should also have an automatic right to bid for any tendered public service, he added.

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