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Clegg warns Tories not to demonise public sector

Deputy PM criticises ministers for polarising public and private sector workers.

By George Eaton Published 08 December 2011 19:08

With all eyes on Brussels, Nick Clegg's speech this morning on cities received little attention. But it contained one particularly notable passage on the public sector. The Deputy PM appeared to criticise Tory ministers for allowing the economic debate to become "polarised" between public sector workers and private sector workers.

He said:

I know that some of our public sector workers bristle when they hear Ministers talk about paring back the public sector and letting business lead the recovery ... what will hurt both groups is if we now allow this debate to become polarised - as if our dilemma is helping the public sector versus the private sector.

The North versus the South. Picking industry or picking banking. Because if we play into these bygone caricatures of the left and the right, if we allow our society to fracture into these camps, that is the surest way to drag the UK back to the 1980s.

Clegg's words were a subtle rebuke to those Tories who suggest that they will gain politically from a smaller public sector and a larger private sector (one senior Tory told the Spectator's James Forsyth: 'You create a bigger private sector, you create more Tories"). The tension surrounding this issue has increased after the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast (see box 3.6 on p. 95) in the autumn statement that 710,000 public sector jobs would be lost by 2017, 310,000 more than previously thought, and that 1.7 million private sector jobs would be created.

One could add that the government has cynically set private and public sector workers against each other for the sake of its pension reforms. Supporters of the reforms frequently note that two-thirds of private-sector employees do not even have a company pension, compared to just 12 per cent of public-sector workers. But this is an argument for improving provision in the private sector, not for driving it down in the public sector. Indeed, many pensionless private-sector workers depend on their partner's public-sector pension to ensure a basic standard of living in old age.

But that's not an argument Clegg will be making anytime soon.

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Tags: Nick Clegg

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14 comments

Fri, 2011-12-09 00:39 — Fraziel1

can't stand the guy but he has a point.The real scandal is the huge private sector pensions for bosses who give nothing to their staff, not that publis sector workers have affordable pensions. Many public sector workers have partners who work in the private sector too, the government knows it's good politics to keep stirring things up even if it is the wrong way of looking at things.

Fri, 2011-12-09 04:06 — Fergus Pickering (not verified)

There are some huge public sector pensions you might want to look at while you are about it. Pen-pushers in the NHS. Penpushers anywhere. In fact it is the army of publicly funded penpushers we hate, not nurses or even teachers. Oh, and one other thing. It is practically impossible to FIRE anybody in the public sector, however lazy or incompetent.

Fri, 2011-12-09 09:16 — Nick2 (not verified)

Fergus, you might want to consider that the "army of penpushers" you refer to only exists (if indeed it does, I'm not convinced) because of the "marketisation" of public services. The NHS didn't need so many managers before the "internal market".
And just for your information, I'm a public sector line manager and I have personally fired people for being both lazy and incompetent. It's not impossible, but you do have to prove your case, and rightly so.

Fri, 2011-12-09 10:03 — I walker (not verified)

The Tories sole design is to make more Tories. They have done nothing for the true welfare of the Nation. Some measures are just plain irrelevant or designed for self promotion, take Gove and his English Waccy Baccy.

Fri, 2011-12-09 14:58 — Fraziel1

@fergus pickering, you really need to stop reading and believing the tripe and lies printed in the daily mail, express and telegraph. i read it and if it was not so serious i would laught at the out and out garbage they print to justify their ideological hatred of public sector workers. huge pensions? My arse.

Thu, 2011-12-08 19:13 — Dan Ladds

The last paragraph pretty much nails it.

The whole plan is to keep workers fighting against each other, so they forget about the real reasons for their situation.

Thu, 2011-12-08 19:23 — Benjamin Rae (not verified)

His hypocrisy and dishonesty is truly impressive. You just can't trust a word he says. Words are just some abstract concept to him and not anything to stand by.
The government which couldn't function without him has attacked public sector workers from every concievable angle from day one. Now he wants to defend them? Do us a favour Nick, cut the sh#t and admit that your really a Tory with a pro European bent.

Thu, 2011-12-08 19:24 — matthew fox (not verified)

Pretty pathetic attempt to support Public Sector workers.

He's been in government for a year and a half, and is knowing trying to look caring.

Thu, 2011-12-08 19:50 — nourredine (not verified)

He only has that window of opportunity when Cameron is out of the country to say what we have told him already and appears understanding the populace.
He is an oportunitist politician nothing more.
We can't expect more from him.

Thu, 2011-12-08 21:14 — swatantra

Well Nick made quite a good hatchet job on the PS himself after his disastrous encountor with the revolting students. Its a wonder the PS hasn't resorted to insurrection and 'working to rule' which was more effective than strike action in the 70's. Of course the bosses said it actually improved services, but I don't believe them.

Thu, 2011-12-08 21:50 — p j wall (not verified)

CLEGG=TOAST,2015
Then he can carry on being Flasmans loyal butler at his Oxfordshire mansion!.

Thu, 2011-12-08 22:09 — jankaas (not verified)

great, Clegg doing a Johnny come lately schtick.

as we say in Holland; Man, je lult uit je nekvel.

Thu, 2011-12-08 22:49 — Dickie1

@ Nick Clegg

Give it up mate, no one wants to hear it. Before the election you were plausible, but not any more. Just be quiet and keep the space on the Tory bench warm for whoever fills it next.

Thu, 2011-12-08 23:55 — Tesco Shelf Stacker (not verified)

Nick Clegg has lost all credibility. Every time he opens his mouth a meaningless noise comes out! There is a real chance the LibDems will be wiped out at the next election.