An Oasis

Small Government

The Liberal Democrats propose to scrap 8 government departments in a move designed to save £5bn / year which is apparently enough to fund 150,000 extra nurses, teachers and police officers.

All of which may attract converts from the Tories (party of small government) to the Lib Dem cause. Slashing industrial subsidies sounds good, as does reducing the cost of bureaucracy, I wonder whether there is enough in this to win over non-political voters, i.e. those without a idealogical commitment to free markets or small government.

"Mr Kennedy listed the Scotland Office, Wales Office, Northern Ireland Office, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Department of Transport and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Whitehall Departments which could be scrapped or merged."

Posted by Paul at July 16, 2003 03:05 PM |