Talking about a subject Conservatives have rarely broached, David Cameron will today say that the Protestant work ethic should be replaced by a "modern vision of ethical work". He believes we should talk not just about Gross Domestic Product but about General Well-Being too, hoping to triangulate between the issues by fomenting strong relationships and progressive employment practice in order to boost productivity:
"The
traditional response of the right – that government can’t do much about all
this and shouldn’t try – is inadequate. But equally, the response of the new
left – that government should regulate the specific details of working life –
is too ineffective. It produces unintended consequences that end up damaging
our competitiveness. It’s vital to create a space… which stands
firmly between regulation and indifference. I refuse to choose between the intolerant impulse to
right every supposed wrong by passing new laws, and the coldly amoral refusal
to even take a view on the actions of others."
The Guardian reports it as wrong-footing Gordon Brown, Sky News as going for the Feel-Good Factor, and The Times as drawing a line under Thatcher.
Deputy Editor
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