Timetable For Action
Encyclopedia
The Timetable For Action is a policy document by the U.K.
Conservative Party
, in which leader Michael Howard
spells out some key actions he would take if elected Prime Minister
, within the first hour, day, week, and month of a Conservative government.
in May 2005. Key to Howard's address to the conference were the issues of accountability and trust; the Timetable was intended to give the voters a sort of checklist, so they could tell if a (hypothetical) Conservative government was keeping its promises.
At roughly the same time, opinion poll
s suggested that only 12% of the British people believed Howard would win the next election. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3714398.stm Most predicted that the ruling Labour Party
under Tony Blair
would prevail.
, and as taking a hard line on immigration. Others aim at reducing bureaucracy (e.g. hospital targets) and creating a "smaller government", on the theory that workers in the public services
should be allowed to simply get on with their jobs. The policy of making the Office for National Statistics independent appears to be an attempt to capitalise on a public perception of Labour as a "party of spin" who manipulate figures.
Notable by its absence is any firm commitment to reducing tax
. In his speech at the party conference, Howard said that he would not make promises he could not keep.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, in which leader Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
spells out some key actions he would take if elected Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, within the first hour, day, week, and month of a Conservative government.
Timing and rationale
The document was released during the Conservative Party's annual party conference in October 2004, widely speculated to be the last before a rumoured general electionUnited Kingdom general elections
This is a list of United Kingdom general elections since the first in 1802. The members of the 1801–1802 Parliament had been elected to the former Parliament of Great Britain and Parliament of Ireland, before being co-opted to serve in the first Parliament of the United Kingdom, so that Parliament...
in May 2005. Key to Howard's address to the conference were the issues of accountability and trust; the Timetable was intended to give the voters a sort of checklist, so they could tell if a (hypothetical) Conservative government was keeping its promises.
At roughly the same time, opinion poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
s suggested that only 12% of the British people believed Howard would win the next election. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3714398.stm Most predicted that the ruling Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
under Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
would prevail.
Timetable highlights
These are some of the policies Howard lays out. There are others.- Within the first hour:
- I will make the Office for National StatisticsOffice for National StatisticsThe Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
independent of ministers.
- I will make the Office for National Statistics
- Within the first day:
- I will set a date for the referendumReferendumA referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on the European ConstitutionTreaty establishing a Constitution for EuropeThe Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , , was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European Union...
. - The Health Secretary will abolish targets imposed by WhitehallWhitehallWhitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
on hospitals. - I will announce the appointment of a Minister for Homeland Security with responsibility for counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
and emergency planning.
- I will set a date for the referendum
- Within the first week:
- The Home Secretary will announce the ending of Labour's early release from prison scheme.
- The Health Secretary will make it possible for people to have access to information about hospital performance, including on infection rates.
- Within the first month:
- We will set out our program of legislationLegislationLegislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
to:
-
- Introduce a points system for immigrationImmigrationImmigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
... priority [will be] given to people who want to come to Britain to work hard and make a positive contribution. - Require drug addicts to choose between immediate rehabilitationDrug rehabilitationDrug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
in secure accommodation or prosecution and prison. - Abolish student fees and provide more money to universities.
- The Immigration Minister will set in train 24-hour surveillanceSurveillanceSurveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
at ports of entry. - The Home Secretary will start our new prison building programme, and the recruitment of an extra 5,000 police officers each year.
- The Immigration Minister will set in train 24-hour surveillance
- Introduce a points system for immigration
- We will set out our program of legislation
Comments
Many of the policies are traditional Conservative policies - the party (and Michael Howard) have always been seen as tough on crime, as EuroscepticEuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
, and as taking a hard line on immigration. Others aim at reducing bureaucracy (e.g. hospital targets) and creating a "smaller government", on the theory that workers in the public services
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
should be allowed to simply get on with their jobs. The policy of making the Office for National Statistics independent appears to be an attempt to capitalise on a public perception of Labour as a "party of spin" who manipulate figures.
Notable by its absence is any firm commitment to reducing tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
. In his speech at the party conference, Howard said that he would not make promises he could not keep.
External links
- The Timetable For Action (PDF format)