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

StevieJ

Aussies 10 for 3 off 2.4 overs.

andyroberts1967

jonewer wrote: »

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.

In which case, I'm dreading the industrial action. If there's one thing guaranteed to get civil servants out on strike in massive numbers, it's changing our pension arrangements. :-(:(

Somerset

andyroberts1967 wrote: »

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.

I second the above.

It's way too early to say for sure, but these types of appointments are seriously giving the idea that a) capable people are being chosen for the slot, and b) partisan politics are not the deciding factor any more.

Let's see how it unfolds.

nickmason

andyroberts1967 wrote: »

I've never heard of Will Hutton...

He's quite a big cheese - hit the big time with his book "The State We're In" in 1996, which was very popular with New Labour. Now runs the Work Foundation - a left-of-centre think tank.

I once took part in a debate with him at Oxford in about 2000. I was sitting next to his wife at the dinner beforehand. She asked me whether I was interested in politics - slightly a bizarre question given the situation. When I answered yes, and that I was a Tory, albeit a moderate one, she, apparently in shock that I wasn't falling into line with all the New Labour students, announced "my god, I didn't think anyone of a brain was, anymore" and studiously ignored me for the rest of the dinner. Incidentally, she is a director of a property development company - albeit one that builds social space through public and private funding.

I didn't find him much better, either - with his absolute faith in Keynesian economics, and scathing disgust at anyone of a different political perspective.

I agree with JP45 that this is a surprising appointment. Frank Field is surprising but very, very welcome. The jettisoning of his work on the welfare state became a catalyst to those of us on the right that the left, even New Labour, couldn't be relied upon to take the tough choices to make a difference.

ninky_2

cameron is playing this like a slippery business operator.

field has been pretty pro-tory for a while now.

and hutton isn't an elected person but rather an influential voice to the left of centre (previous observer editor / journo) so to me this looks like an attempt to win over some who would be critical. it's a crafty plan. and it's amazing what some people will compromise on regards policy in exchange for power.

i think we will just have to look at the policies that come out and judge them.

there's nothing more dangerous than an enemy disguised as a friend.

Kohoutek

ninky wrote: »

cameron is playing this like a slippery business operator....it's a crafty plan. and it's amazing what some people will compromise on regards policy in exchange for power.

Were you saying that when Gordon Brown appointed ministers from outside the Labour Party in his first cabinet like Digby Jones and Prof. Ara Darzi?

I thought it was a very positive development at the time, just like this attempt to bring in people who have something to contribute from outside the Conservative and Lib Dem Parties. Or maybe Gordon Brown was trying to make some sinister deal with the CBI and the medical profession, like your bizarre analysis of David Cameron's appointments.

tomterm8

So... what is a 'Poverty Czar'? Is it a ministerial post? A quango post? A civil service post?

ChiefGrasscutter

andyroberts1967 wrote: »

I've never heard of Will Hutton

A rabid supporter of the Euro and, so far as I can recall, in 2008 was "demanding" that the UK simply "MUST" join this wonderful system......

ninky_2

Kohoutek wrote: »

Were you saying that when Gordon Brown appointed ministers from outside the Labour Party in his first cabinet like Digby Jones and Ara Darzi?

I thought it was a very positive development at the time, just like this attempt to bring in people who have something to contribute from outside the Conservative and Lib Dem Parties. Obviously to you, if Gordon Brown does something it is great, and if David Cameron does the same thing it's terrible. Pretty weird view of the world.

and no one else on here backs one party over another, do they? i've said on here before i liked some of the lib dem policies and i've voted green party before. gordon brown is no longer leader of the labour party. and tbh i didn't take much of an interest in his cabinet appointments at the time.

i think my point was that i will judge on the policies that come out.

ninky_2

tomterm8 wrote: »

So... what is a 'Poverty Czar'? Is it a ministerial post? A quango post? A civil service post?

a wolf in sheep's clothing?