Published: October 25th 2010 - at 11:53 am

Meet the new govt adviser on growth…Ken


by Don Paskini    

During his time as Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone set up offices in countries such as China and India, to promote London’s businesses and encourage trade and tourism with these countries.

The Tories denounced this “foreign embassies” as an example of Ken’s wasteful spending, and pledged to close these offices if Boris was elected. After the election, a review found that these offices were, in fact, excellent value for money, and Boris decided to keep them open.

Over the weekend, David Cameron set out his strategy for economic growth, hoping to answer criticisms that his government is just fixated on making cuts. And apart from boasting about the few infrastructure projects which his government decided not to cut, a centre piece of the government’s strategy for economic growth is:

“We’re going to put economic policy at the heart of our foreign policy. I want every British Embassy across the world to be working hard for British business. Today the UK exports more to Ireland than to Brazil, Russia, India and China – all combined. What a wasted opportunity…I tell you this: British business will have no more vocal champion than the British Government.”

So in 2007 and 2008, the Tories thought that using offices in China, India, Brazil and Russia to promote business, trade and tourism was as an example of socialist wasteful spending. Now it is a cornerstone of their strategy for growing the economy.

It’s another example of quite how good Ken’s team was at developing effective policies to meet the challenges of the future – another area which the Tories opposed at the time and are now trying to claim credit for. But while this is a welcome U-turn, the government needs to have a look at Ken’s other economic policies as well if they are really serious about growing the economy.

(Hat tip @BorisWatch)


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About the author
Don Paskini is deputy-editor of LC. He also blogs at donpaskini. He is on twitter as @donpaskini
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Reader comments


1. blanco

“the Tories thought that using offices in China, India, Brazil and Russia was as an example of socialist wasteful spending”

There is a massive difference between using existing embassies to promote a particular international trade policy – and establishing huge, unnecessary offices in those countries, with big junkets for the Mayor and his hangers on to go and have laugh at taxpayers’ expense. And you know it.

Just because you thought this tenuous link would provide you with an easy sneer and lame “funny” headline, doesn’t mean it would make for a sensible article.

2. Don Paskini

“There is a massive difference between using existing embassies to promote a particular international trade policy – and establishing huge, unnecessary offices in those countries, with big junkets for the Mayor and his hangers on to go and have laugh at taxpayers’ expense. And you know it.”

So why did the review commissioned to find evidence to close the offices find that:

The resons for opening them are ‘fundamentally sound’ and that ‘the GLAs offices do play an important role in promoting Londons interests, from supporting the capitals businesses and to enhancing the image of our city around the world.’

You’re still trotting out right-wing talking points from 2008 which even the Tories have dropped.

3. margin4error

blanco

It is worth pondering why, if both Boris and Ken can see the value of what you call huge, unnecessary offices, and given reports of their relative success, you can only criticise with no constructive information on which such offices don’t net London cold hard cash.

4. cjcjc

Absolutely.

KL at the time was (jointly with GB) the City bankers’ “number one fan”.

5. Joe Otten

I suspect the growth strategy is primarily there to promote growth, rather than to answer criticism.

6. Tom

“Boris decided to keep them open”

Up to a point – he kept them open, but forgot to appoint anyone to the Indian one, last time I looked. It all went a bit Boris. Perhaps he had some urgent top-level shagging to do that afternoon.

7. Margin4eror

Tom

Be fair – the coalition took months to appoint a trade minister – and there are about 20 of them in the cabinet to help find some one. Boris is only one man.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4

  2. Don Paskini

    @BorisWatch inspired by yr tweet http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/10/25/meet-the-new-government-adviser-on-growth-ken-livingstone/

  3. Don Paskini

    RT @libcon: Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4

  4. davidschoibl

    RT @libcon: Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4

  5. Joshua Fenton-Glynn

    Further evidence on just how good #yesweken team was at ideas for growth http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 @Libcon @donpaskini @ken4london

  6. Duncan Weldon

    RT @donpaskini: @BorisWatch inspired by yr tweet http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/10/25/meet-the-new-government-adviser-on-growth-ken-l …

  7. Other TaxPayers Alli

    RT @libcon: Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (via @donpaskini)

  8. PCS union

    RT @libcon: Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4

  9. The Friendly Lefty

    RT @pcs_union: RT @libcon: Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4

  10. Gareth Winchester

    Meet the new govt adviser on growth…Ken | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/fYt4aPM via @libcon

  11. sunny hundal

    Meet the Coalition's newest advisor on economic growth… Ken Livingstone! http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (by @donpaskini)

  12. Robin Cowan

    RT @sunny_hundal: Meet the Coalition's newest advisor on economic growth… Ken Livingstone! http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (by @donpaskini)

  13. Shelly Asquith

    RT @sunny_hundal: Meet the Coalition's newest advisor on economic growth… Ken Livingstone! http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (by @donpaskini)

  14. jennifer roberts

    …Ken | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/GzCrpVi via @libcon good reminder of Tory view of embassies then and now

  15. Darren Burgoyne

    RT @sunny_hundal: Meet the Coalition's newest advisor on economic growth… Ken Livingstone! http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (by @donpaskini)

  16. Angela Pateman

    RT @sunny_hundal: Meet the Coalition's newest advisor on economic growth… Ken Livingstone! http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (by @donpaskini)

  17. Brian Moylan

    Meet the new govt adviser on growth…Ken : http://bit.ly/91SNsO #development + #exports #labour works, voting for #tories #condems #recovery

  18. Lucy Proctor

    RT @sunny_hundal: Meet the Coalition's newest advisor on economic growth… Ken Livingstone! http://bit.ly/9SVAz4 (by @donpaskini)

  19. andrew

    Meet the new govt adviser on growth…Ken | Liberal Conspiracy: Ken | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/GzCrpVi via @li… http://bit.ly/9nM7R7

  20. Tom Miller

    Tory hypocrisy on Ken's economic policy http://tinyurl.com/36943ok

  21. Pucci Dellanno

    RT @libcon: Meet the new government adviser on growth…Ken Livingstone http://bit.ly/9SVAz4





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