[A-List] New Labour watch: Blair vs. Brown

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

Few books have left me feeling as soiled as Andrew Rawnsley's "Servants
of the People". A political columnist firmly in command of his
self-belief, Rawnsley, whether by accident or design (I incline to the
latter), has fashioned a portrait of New Labour infighting that, in best
Polly Toynbee tradition, leaves Tony looking like "a pretty straight
kind of guy", while Gordon is left nursing his "psychological flaws". I
don't dispute the characterisation of Brown, who is clearly not of this
planet, but the way in which Rawnsley ingratiates himself with Tony and
his inner circle, as well as dropping a few judiciously favourable
comments in other directions (e.g. Peter Hain) says a lot about
Rawnsley's intention. Thus, despite all the brouhaha about Rawnsley
supposedly lifting the lid off of New Labour's internal shenanigans, he
has in fact painted a portrait of a Tony with his heart firmly in the
right place, whatever tactical, administrative or strategic shortcomings
he may possess. The chapter dealing with the London mayoral election
fiasco of 2000 is a case study in obsequious gesturing, as every mistake
Tony makes is countered with a rhetorical flourish playing up the
dastardly nature of Ken Livingstone. And this is really Rawnsley's
stock-in-trade: gossip and tittle-tattle, as opposed to political
analysis. I can think of precisely two interesting facts included within
the 500+ pages of Rawnsley's book: (1) Mandelson expected to become
Minister for Europe as soon as Labour won in 1997 -- this is telling
because of Mandelson's eager beavering behind the scenes working for
British interests within the EU, latterly via his presidency of the
Policy Network; (2) Blair was eager to have David Owen on board New
Labour prior to the 1997 election -- unbeknownst to Paddy Ashdown, who
expected to be foreign secretary -- but Owen declined Blair's invitation
out of personal loyalty to John Major, who had appointed Owen to "fix"
Bosnia (how ironic that Ashdown is now Blair's personal appointee to the
Balkans). The rest of Rawnsley's book is a none-too-subtle effort to
magnify Blair's greatness and emphasise Brown's psychological flaws.

That there is a tense rivalry between Blair and Brown is not in
question. Their Cold War involves the use of proxies in which their
respective interests are (hopefully) furthered. Clearly, given the
centralised nature of power in the British state, the prime minister
holds most of the cards. But Brown is also in possession of a Treasury
very much at the centre of power, and can inflict sufficient damage on
Tony for Tony to know that he has to be careful how to proceed. I
suspect that Tony intends to hang on long enough for Brown to be denied
a shot at the leadership. Brown may end up being a Labour Heseltine,
toppling the prime minister but not succeeding him, enabling a "third
way" candidate to emerge victorious -- Peter Hain!


Dobson steps up attack on NHS plans

Foundation hospitals mean 'move to Tory ground'

Lucy Ward and Anne Perkins
Friday September 13, 2002
The Guardian

Former health secretary Frank Dobson last night stepped up his assault
on plans for foundation hospitals, accusing the government of "third-way
theorising" and seeking to occupy Conservative territory.

In a broadside against a policy dear to the hearts of Labour
modernisers, Mr Dobson - a long-standing critic of moves to allow
top-performing NHS hospitals freedom from Whitehall control - turned his
fire directly on the government.

Accusing ministers of acting on "misplaced political priorities", he
told a meeting of Labour party members in Bristol: "Moving on to the
Tory territory on health wouldn't be capturing the political high
ground.

"It would be more like deliberately building on the flood plain."

Mr Dobson's intervention comes amid a continuing row between his
successor Alan Milburn and the chancellor, Gordon Brown, over the health
secretary's plans for foundation hospitals, which would be granted the
freedom to raise extra money on the open market.

The Treasury is concerned that the chancellor will be left to foot the
bill if the hospitals go bust, as well as fearing creeping privatisation
if hospital managers seek to boost income by attracting private patients
at the expense of those on the NHS.

Mr Milburn, who has the prime minister's backing, is due to unveil more
details of his plans next month, but there could be a delay if there is
no agreement with the Treasury.

In a newspaper article last month Mr Milburn said the government could
lose the election if it gave in to the consolidators in the party
instead of forging ahead to introduce consumer-driven public services.

He said he wanted to seize the policies of diversity and choice from the
Conservatives in the same way that Labour had occupied traditional Tory
territory on the economy and crime. Last night sources at the health
department denied that there was any question of reducing services.

"Every single person in the Labour party wants to see an NHS which is
better for every single person in the country," Mr Milburn said. "Our
plans are about decentralisation and reform."

Mr Dobson, and critics of the plans within the health service, argue
that the policy will create a "two tier NHS", with the best-performing
hospitals free to poach staff from less successful neighbours, as well
as spending more on better equipment.

The former health secretary, who is an old political ally of the
chancellor, said: "The hospitals most in need of improvements will be
worse off. The better hospitals would get better still. Inequality will
grow."

Attacking government claims that the plan will create choice and
diversity for patients, he told activists: "What people want is prompt
and first-rate treatment as close to home as possible."

Hospital staff would be diverted into "endless meetings and
consultations" with lawyers and accountants, and NHS funds would be
wasted on the interest on money borrowed on the capital markets, Mr
Dobson warned.