Tony Blair's conference speech

ePolitix.com Stakeholders respond to Tony Blair's final speech as prime minister to the Labour Party conference.

 

Stakeholder Response: Federation of Small Businesses

 

 

Matthew Knowles of the Federation of Small Businesses said: "The speech highlighted many of the government's successes and small businesses in particular have benefited from some of them. The FSB, alone among the major business organisations, was in favour of a sensibly set minimum wage for example.

 

"Other advances that the prime minister was proud of have not been as popular among our 200,000 member businesses.

 

"The heavy-handed way that new rights for workers have been introduced has been a particular problem. The workers now have more rights, with which in principle the FSB has agreed, but the way that they were brought in means that business growth, and with it more employment, has been stifled in an avalanche of red tape - denying the jobs and rights to more people who remain unemployed.

 

"We were also disappointed that the prime minister felt it necessary to attack business for not training its staff. This was wholly unjustified. Small firms do their very best to train their staff but the government does not provide enough support for them to do so.

 

"Our average member has four employees and cannot afford to lose 25 per cent of their workforce for a day or more to be trained.

 

"The government needs to provide more help to train people in their workplace and then small businesses can do even more than they do already for their staff.

 

"It is also a bit rich for Mr Blair to complain about business not training staff when they so often have to pick up the pieces of a failing education system over which he has presided for nearly a decade. The basic skills that our members seek in job applicants are frequently lacking. 

 

"Action needs to be taken now, even if it is a case of better late than never."

 

Stakeholder Response: Amicus

 

Derek Simpson, general secretary of Amicus, said: "It was a brilliant and emotional speech last conference speech and he couldn't have had a better finish.

 

"The content hardly mattered but his advice on how we should face down the Tories is the right and crucial focus for the party."

 

 

Stakeholder Response: NASUWT

 

 

Chris Keates, General Secretary of NASUWT, the largest union representing teachers and headteachers throughout the UK, said: "This was a well-crafted speech describing indisputable achievements over the last 10 years.

 

"The prime minister was right to highlight the very real successes and improvements in public services, and in particular, in education, tackling child poverty and contributing to international development.

 

"He was right to confirm that as a result of an expanding, better rewarded and more effective school workforce, we have the best educated children in our history.

 

"NASUWT welcomes the prime minister’s commitment to ‘no selective trust schools and city academies’, continuing investment in school buildings and refurbishment and to continuing reform in partnership with trade unions.

 

"Whilst the prime minister was right to highlight these and other achievements, we agree with him that there remain enormous challenges ahead.

 

"Many he described, others remained unsaid.

 

"NASUWT has no difficulty with the concept of continuing progressive reform in the public services. However, if there is to continue to be involvement of the private sector in this process, it must not be allowed to compromise the public service ethos.

 

"The government must also complete the repeal of anti-trade union laws to protect the interests of the workforce who are critical to effective reform.

 

"But perhaps one of  the biggest challenges will be to identify how far public services can meet the individual aspirations and expectations of the 24/7 ‘Google generation’. Working in partnership with the workforce will be the key to success."

 

 

Stakeholder Response:  CMU

 

 

Professor Michael Driscoll, Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University & Chair of the CMU Universities Group, will urge the government to continue to fully fund the drive to widen participation and access to universities at a Fringe meeting at Labour’s Conference this evening.

                               

Professor Driscoll, who was a first generation university student who failed the 11 plus, will say "It is crucial that the government levers up investment to ensure that all individuals who have the potential access the life-transforming opportunities which higher education provides. CMU Universities are also well-placed to support the government’s drive to enhance graduate and professional skills which are essential to the success of British industry and the public sector."

 

Professor Driscoll will also say that the business sector has a responsibility to ensure that employees have opportunities to enhance their skills, including graduate skills, when they are in employment.

 

Professor Driscoll will be joined on the platform by Richard Lambert, Director-General of the CBI, Sadiq Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, Gemma Tumelty, NUS President and the higher education Minister Bill Rammell MP."