Monday, August 13, 2007

De Regulation a lurch to the right?

So John Redwood's policy group on competitiveness has signaled some of
its findings and is looking to cut business costs by £14 billion by
reducing regulations. As John Redwood has said this is effectively a
tax cut, but one which does not harm the exchequer. The BBC has been
leading all day on either Labour's criticism or actually implying cuts
in services.

Even the Telegraph has picked up more on Labour's criticism than the
substance now, which is odd given that it was there story to start
with.

However the idea that this is some form of lurch to the right is
phooye (as Boris would say) because Labour are supposedly in the
deregulation game also trying to pass a bill aimed at reducing
regulations, but at the whim of government ministers signing executive
orders without the need for parliamentary scrutiny. (see the saving
parliament link on the right of my blog for more).

At least all our reductions in regulations will be subject to
parliamentary scrutiny. The truth is that it is Labour who are off on
the far right wing here not us, yet the media are happy to trot out
their spin.

How sad. The Conservative blogosphere needs to fight back.

--
Kind regards

Benedict White

1 comment:

loadofoldstodge said...

I'd be interested, Benedict, in your thoughts on the Redwood proposals to do away with Data Protection and Freedom of Information safeguards.

The behaviour of Tory MPs in backing proposals to exempt MPs from FOI was lamentable but is it now to be Conservative Party policy to restrict public access to central and local Government decision-making simply because "it's too much regulation" ?