Alistair Arkley column

Oct 25 2006 By Alistair Arkley, The Journal

So how much of a watershed is the departure of Tony Blair and the near-certain transfer of Gordon Brown from Number 11 to Number 10 Downing Street?

Well, from a regional point of view, there have been advantages in having a Prime Minister with his constituency in the North-East.

I am sure many organisations can think of occasions when they have benefited from prime ministerial presence at an event because he happened to be coming back to Sedgefield for the weekend - and of course there have been the big set-piece occasions such as President George Bush's visit.

But what difference will a Gordon Brown Premiership bring to our public services and the relationship between Government and industry?

If you believe the pessimists, it's a disaster, with the nation in the hands of someone who will "micro-manage" everything and return to the bad old days of Government control.

Yet shouldn't we wait and see? After all, Gordon Brown has succeeded in building and largely retaining a positive relationship with business despite the concerns over red tape and issues such as his role in the pensions debacle.

And let's remember he was the politician who had the nerve to introduce arguably one of the most significant economic initiatives for decades, the creation of the independent Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee.

That makes his ideas for creating an independent board to oversee the NHS all the more significant.

We've seen other ministers float the idea of a health service charter and comparisons have been made with the BBC.

This might all seem revolutionary, but there are some reassuring examples of striking a balance between delivering public policy objectives and operating on business principles.

Take, for example, British Waterways, which is responsible for 2,000 miles of rivers and canals. This public corporation has been able to embrace a commercial approach which has transformed our waterways from dereliction to desirable commercial, residential and leisure centres.

The fact Gordon Brown was prepared to "think the unthinkable" on the Bank of England and is promoting a debate over bringing some independence to other areas may prove a watershed in the way government does business.

Alistair Arkley is chairman of the Northern Business Forum and of New Century Inns.