Pushing back the state

The news that the elderly who need care services are to be given cash to buy them is possibly the biggest shock to me of Brown's premiership. ( I wonder if it will be cash - or some bureaucratic central administered government scheme ? )

Think about it - this is vouchers for social care. Admitting that the state may not be the best provider. It runs against Brown's current trend to take more control over education.

What next ? cash for your health care treatment ( after all why not ? What's the logical or ethical difference ? )

Quite honestly this was unexpected from this Labour government who would no doubt have condemned the same idea if it had been made by a Tory. Given the strong link between social workers and the Labour party this is surely going to create a bit of a reaction. The cynical part of me wonders if this isn't an attempt to show the idea won't work to try to short circuit an anticipated Conservative election manifesto.

It is potentially very big news....its just being New Labour and Gordon Brown you know there has to be a catch or a trap somewhere.