Frank Field given role as poverty czar by Cameron - The Times

drc

A good development;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7127917.ece

Frank Field given role as poverty czar by Cameron

FRANK FIELD, the senior Labour backbencher, has been given a role in the new coalition government leading a review into tackling poverty.
The former welfare minister who became a fierce critic of his party’s immigration policy, will become a “poverty czar” under David Cameron.
In another surprise appointment, the prime minister has asked the left-wing commentator Will Hutton to lead the drive to cut public sector pay. He has been charged with drawing up a new pay system for civil servants.
The Conservatives began courting Field some months ago, triggering speculation he might be considering defecting from Labour. The former welfare minister made no secret of his frustration with Gordon Brown’s regime. He is expected to recommend new policies designed to get the poor off benefits and into work.


The Birkenhead MP spent just one year as a welfare minister under Tony Blair in 1997, before quitting in a bitter row with Gordon Brown. He was famously ordered by Blair to “think the unthinkable” over welfare reform.
Cameron now wants Field to find ways to repair what he has described as “Broken Britain”. Field will report to Iain Duncan Smith, the new work and pensions secretary, who carried out similar work through his Social Justice think tank for the Tory leadership while the party was in opposition. Field has made it clear he will not defect to the Conservatives.
The new appointments suggest that Cameron is keen to show that the coalition can command the support of elements in the Labour party.

StevieJ

Mmmm it is becoming complicated.

jonewer

Frank Field is a very good man.

His ideas about reforming the welfare state could have transformed it into an engine for growth and social justice "A net beneath which none may fall but all may rise".

Instead Brown turned it into a lifesyle option for the !!!!less, a trap for those who try to return to productivity, and a millstone round the economic neck of the nation.

edit - you cant say feckless?

Jonbvn

Frank Field is a genuine caring MP who was sadly sidelined by Brown/Bliar. Seems like another good move to me.

Must be really surprising to the Nulab supporters, this putting people into positions where they have knowledge and experience. So much better when we had people like clueless Jacqui at the Home Office & Harriet Hatemen thinking up ever more ridiculous laws.

amcluesent

I wonder if they can temp Lord Adonis to take the Liberal whip and continue with Transport?

andyroberts1967

I think it's an inspired decision by Cameron, Clegg and co. Frank Field is one of the very few principled Labour MPs who I always admired. I'd put him in the same bracket as Mo Mowlam and Robin Cook, and it's really heartening to see that Cameron is true to his word when he said that he would appoint people of all parties. This is starting to turn into a true grand coalition.

torontoboy45

Jonbvn wrote: »

Frank Field is a genuine caring MP who was sadly sidelined by Brown/Bliar. Seems like another good move to me.

Must be really surprising to the Nulab supporters, this putting people into positions where they have knowledge and experience. So much better when we had people like clueless Jacqui at the Home Office & Harriet Hatemen thinking up ever more ridiculous laws.

and one of the few mp's who can command some respect.
it was he who thatcher turned to in the dying days of her premiership for advice on 'what to do next'. he called by no.10 and told her to go out 'on a high note', which she did. this speaks lots about thatcher's opinion of her own ministers/party workers at the time, and says something about her regard for field.

he's that rare commodity in UK politics: a decent type of guy.

JP45

I agree with the glowing references to Frank Field, but I think it's also worth noting the other, perhaps more surprising appointment of Will Hutton to lead the drive to cut public sector pay and to draw up a new pay system for civil servants.

This seems to me an equally inspired move on the part of Cameron and Clegg. As the article points out, Will Hutton is to the left of centre. He also has quite a high profile in the media and is frequently interviewed on the box.

To put Hutton in charge of reforming public sector pay seems to me quite a smart move and should at least improve the odds of gaining consent amongst those working in the public sector for what could, after all, be quite serious cuts.

andyroberts1967

I've never heard of Will Hutton, I do hope that they don't mess up our civil service final salary pensions for EXISTING staff. Most of us joined up knowing the salary wouldn't be top dollar, but that a long service would bring its own rewards in the form of a decent pension. I don't even mind paying a bit more towards it, as long as they keep the FS system for existing staff.

LydiaJ

I think Cameron has been taking lessons from an American president.

Originally said by Abraham Lincoln
Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?

With the economy in the mess that it's in, the PM needs all the friends he can get - Clegg, Field, Hutton etc all have brains and energy and a lot to contribute. I'm glad Cameron isn't letting party political considerations get in the way of making sure these people are helping rather than hindering him in the job he has to do. I hope Field's appointment works out well for the coalition government, well for Field himself, and especially well for the disadvantaged people who will be affected by the policies that result.

jonewer

andyroberts1967 wrote: »

I've never heard of Will Hutton, I do hope that they don't mess up our civil service final salary pensions for EXISTING staff. Most of us joined up knowing the salary wouldn't be top dollar, but that a long service would bring its own rewards in the form of a decent pension. I don't even mind paying a bit more towards it, as long as they keep the FS system for existing staff.

Sorry to break this to you, and as a public sector worker myself I dont think this is a good thing, but public sector pensions are currently unfunded.

What that means is that there is roughly a £trillion black hole where our pension pot should be and that money will either be taken from somewhere (job cuts, taxes, salary cuts) or the pensions themselves will be cut.

We are probably going to have a bit of all of the above.

Nice one, Gordo.