Current Priorities of Government

To start with the positives: the deficit reduction plan, and the austerity measures therein, has
succeeded in reassuring the financial markets of Britain's commitment to fiscal prudence, and thus
secured our access to credit. The slow steps to education reform have begun to bear fruit, and as the
year progresses, they should show signs of achieving their desired outcomes. While the NHS
reforms have been delayed, the government has made a good case for the benefits of reform, the
consultation period yielded changes that prove the current government's commitment to
participatory politics, and even with the alterations, the reforms will create a new culture of
healthcare in a sector that had become bound by out-dated practice and inefficiency. Intervention in
Libya has proven to be a good decision, with little chance of escalation into an 'Iraq scenario',
although there is still a slim possibility that further involvement may become necessary.
Unfortunately, events have been gathering apace. The economic woes of the Eurozone has
affected our exporters, and has been one of the main contributors to weaker growth in the UK.
Additionally, high oil and food prices earlier in the year caused a spike in inflation that has led to a
weaker year for consumer spending than would otherwise have been the case. While private
investment has been growing, it still has not reached the level hoped for when the austerity
measures began, so growth has been weaker than expected. Unemployment remains high, especially
among the 16-24 group, and will constitute a social problem if it continues.
The Government's main priority, however, should be to continue with austerity and deficitreduction policies. Britain's reputation in financial circles rests on the commitment to reducing the
deficit, and in a time of increased uncertainty about public debt in advanced countries, it would be
entirely counter-productive to throw our reputation aside and embark on a debt-fuelled spending
binge, a hallmark of the previous government. This does not mean that there can be no room for
encouraging growth. Continuing with reforms to the NHS will present opportunities for private
growth and investment; locating other areas which can be improved by competition is a further
priority. Additionally, removing obstacles and rigidities in labour markets, such as wage rigidities
and tax obstacles, will improve the employment situation of many. Greater focus on developing
countries for investment would also boost growth: an oft-neglected area is South-East Asia,
especially Indonesia. Improving trade ties and links would be beneficial to Britain's export sectors,
and could help to fill the gap left by a decline of trade with the Eurozone.
At the heart of the matter is the importance of effective communication. The Government must
ensure that its policies are easily understood, especially by those who may be inclined to resist them
due to partisan attitudes. Reform is fundamentally about communication, and it is by articulating
our vision in a manner that is accessible to all that we will improve the impact of policies on the
country.