Do you think the government has mishandled the issue of greater private sector involvement in delivering public sector services?
No, the government is clear about our priorities and I believe that the party and the wider electorate have been clear about their motives in re-electing us. We must deliver better public services. This government is committed to investment and reform of our vital public services. That’s why we’re investing an extra £45.3 billion in public services over the next three years. If we look at the statistics themselves, investment in the health service is rising at 5.6 percent a year (in real terms) – the biggest ever increase – and investment in education at 5.2 percent a year, bringing the total share of national income devoted to education from 4.7 percent to 5.3 percent by 2003-04. Private investment is only one option in the government’s procurement armoury. Eighty percent of public sector investment is not through PPPs. Moreover, we are looking at ways of enhancing value for money in all forms of procurement. Labour isn’t fixated with the private sector. We are fixated with delivering better public services. That’s why we have embarked on a whole programme of modernisation – combining investment and reform. But where it means a better service for patients, pupils or passengers, we will make the reforms necessary to deliver better public services for Britain.
As the first cycle of PiP ends do you think members were involved to the degree they should have been?
Many members were involved in the Partnership in Power process. However, I don’t think that the first cycle provided the system of feedback to members in the way that it should. I accept that, as a result of this, many members may have felt the process was very one-sided with members giving a great deal and not feeling like they received enough back. The lessons from the last PiP cycle and the last parliament have be taken on board. In order to deliver our agenda, the government has to work more closely with all of our component parts – Members of both Houses of Parliament and the European Parliament, councillors, affiliated trade unions and socialist societies, the co-operative movement, CLPs and individual members. We have to find the ways in which all of these parts of the party can contribute to the delivery of our commitments. We have to promote more consistent, creative and constructive dialogue between government ministers and all parts of our party and the Partnership in Power process will play a very important part in this process.
Following our second landslide election victory, do you think they are always without drawbacks?
I believe that people use their vote in elections and see politics as a way of changing society. I think it is a resounding endorsement of the Labour Party that we managed to secure a second landslide victory. Every single Labour Member of Parliament plays an important role in ensuring that we keep our election manifesto commitments. It is extremely important we have a strong presence of Labour MPs in the House of Commons if we are genuinely to change the social fabric of our society. The greatest measure of redistribution which the Labour Party could achieve over the coming years would be to deliver first-class schools and healthcare for the poorest in our society where standards tend to be lowest. The way to deliver stronger, more self-confident communities in our society is through reducing crime, achieving a pleasant environment and good quality transport. We need every single Labour MP and party member to campaign to achieve these ends.