Thursday 25 June 2009

Decentralising Power?

Talking about Labour's 'Control State', David Cameron has given a speech at Imperial College, London. Reported on Conservative Home as 'David Cameron underlines the Conservative commitment to rebalance power of the individual over the state', it is nothing of the sort actually.

Other than repeating old promises - such as repealing ID cards, changing the law to stop councils 'snooping' on individuals, amongst others - there is nothing in the speech of note.

If David Cameron truly wishes to 'enhance personal freedom' and 'advance political accountability' he would be talking about introducing true local democracy - repealing the present system of cabinet administration by local authorities, locally elected police chiefs, providing school heads with the funds and letting them spend to provide what parents want, allow local authorities to become self-financing by introducing a local sales tax, or (to keep one certain blogger happy) a land value tax - to name but a few.

The speech is no more than a 're-jigging' of central government control that we suffer now, something that Cameron does not appear to wish to relinquish.

If he really believes in devolving power to the people then all he has to do is introduce Hannan/Carswell's The Plan.

No comments: