In preparing for this event I was asked to consider the importance of political leadership.

My first reaction was why?

We all know that political leadership is important – surely that is a given – what is there to talk about?

Then it struck me that that is very much a politician’s view.

And tThat because I believe in politics, because I believe in the importance of choosing our political leaders wisely – because I am in essence a political leader myself – that maybe I take too many things for granted.

IIt is easy to assume that everyone values and is engaged in the politics in the way that I am.

Actually, when you think about it – there are a great many people who do not believe political leadership is that important.

Many who believe that in fact politicians are just puppets of the various interest groups they believe hold real power

That may be business – that may be the trade unions, Europe, The United States, Pressure groups, lobbyists and PR gurus or the media.

There are many people who actually believe that who we chose as political leaders is a relatively trivial matter on the grand scale of things, who believe that changing governments, or voting to continue to support an incumbent government are things really not worth doing.

I have heard it said a million times that "it doesn’t matter who I vote for – or if I vote, things will carry on in pretty much the same way" or "why should I vote, nothing changes they (and here they mean we – politicians) are all the same"

One of the things I have learnt about being in government is that change is difficult to enact – and that to make large-scale changes requires above all a long time. It is like turning round a supertanker.

That isn’t to say that it isn’t possible to bring in big changes quickly, it is possible – the minimum wageincreasing child benefit, independence for the bank of England, devolution, the new deal – theses are all big changes that the government managed to introduce quickly.

But there are other areas where change takes longer to implement

I will talk later about I will talk later in more detail about the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal. An ambitious strategy to regenerate around 900 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK. This strategy took two and a half years to put together.

the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal. An ambitious strategy to regenerate the 900 most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK.

We involved over 500 experts from inside and outside government in 18 policy action teams each looking at a specific element of deprivation. We took over 600 written consultation documents, and canvassed opinion even wider at over 70 regional events to discuss the strategy. It is worth noting that this plan took two and a half years to put together. A long time to formulate but sometimes the best things in life really do come to those who wait.

In formulating the NHS Plan, there were some things that could be put in place fairly quickly.

NHS Direct, the 24hour internet & telephone accessible service providing round the clock medical advice; and w,

Walk in centres where you can literally walk in and see a health professional.

There are other things, like building new hospitals, that are obviously going to take longer to action. Take the National Minimum Wage. A key policy that has made a difference to thousands of workers across the country. It took a long term strategy (both in opposition and Government) of involvement, consultation and debate with stakeholders to deliver. A process of careful and thoughtful advocacy to deliver real and lasting change.

Our biggest social problems are going to take the longest to solve. Drugs, social exclusion, education, health, crime, these are areas that need sustained investment, long term solutions to long term problems.

We have set out what we intend to do to tackle these problems, how we intend to do it, and when we expect it to be done. Frequently we are putting in place four, five or ten year plans.

We have been farsighted – setting out a long-term vision to achieve sustainable long-term improvements.

But in the meantime, while we wait for extra investment and new initiatives to take hold, we frequently test the patience of the public.

In laying out our long term visions we generate high expectations. The public doesn’t expect to see perfect services fall into place immediately, but they do expect to see visible change, to feel tangible benefits from our programmes.

And frequently they don’t.

Not because change isn’t coming – but because unfortunately large-scale change, large-scale investment and large-scale visions do not fall into place overnight.

Suddenly we are back where we started. Political leadership loses its credibility. People ask why they

I can see the value of political leadership and get baffled that the people of Britain can’t see it too

But the people of Britain are still often to be found wondering why they can’t see the change yet –

And then feel like that because they can’t see it – it isn’t there – and then they wonder why they bothered voting at all, and ssuddenly political leadership is a disappointing rather than an exciting prospect.

We only need to look at the turnout for last year’s local and European elections, the turnout even for the last general election, to see that we still have a long way to go to re-engage the people of Britain in politics.

Another thing that struck me in preparing for this speech was howBut take the healthy number of prolific the tiers of political leadership really are in the UK.

We have so many tiers of democracy – and yet so many people feel disenfranchised from the very structures set up to ensure that they are represented.

We have so many tiers of democracy – and yet so many people feel disenfranchised from the very structures set up to ensure that they are represented.

As a ScotWe have decentralised the decision making process. From the huge reforms to the House of Lords, to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly. Then there are the Regional Development Agencies, and Government Offices for the regions. – I have a vote for my local representative at council level, for my local representative in the Scottish Parliament, for my local representative in Europe and for my local representative in Westminster All ways of trying to ensure that local communities take responsibility - and leadership – for themselves..

For your average punter – some of these elections are worth turning out for – some are considered a waste of time.

We all know that local and European elections are the hardest to get the voters out for and I can understand why – but it also drives me mad as a government minister to see how disappointing the mandate for these jobs often is.

As a Minister in the Cabinet Office, I have been involved in the work of the Social Exclusion Unit. I am particularly proud of the important work that it has led on neighbourhood renewal.

It is important because there are parts of Britain where 40% of residents are living on means tested benefits, over 75% of children are not getting 5 good GCSE passes. There are neighbourhoods where the crime rate is three times the national average

In the health authorities in the 20% most deprived areas, 26% more people died from coronary disease, than in the UK as a whole in 1999.

These are neighbourhoods where residents are trapped in a cycle of poverty, the soul destroying poverty of choice, poverty of expectation and poverty of opportunity that residents in these areas have lived with for years.

That is why, in January, the Prime Minister launched the National Strategy Action Plan. It is the culmination of nearly three years work.

Over 500 people from across the public, voluntary, community and business sectors - were directly involved in developing the policies which underpin the Strategy, together with many more people who were involved in the consultation on the draft Strategy. At its heart is the ten to twenty year vision for deprived areas. This vision is reflected in two long term, measurable goals.

• to secure lower worklessness and crime, better health, skills, housing and the physical environment in the most deprived areas; and to
• narrow the gap between the most deprived areas and the rest

As a Minister in the Cabinet Office, I have been involved in the work of the Social Exclusion Unit.

The Social Exclusion Unit has so far, set up a Rough Sleepers Unit with a target of reducing the number of rough sleepers to as near zero as possible and by at least two thirds by 2002. A target they are on track to deliver. I am proud of that –

I am perhaps even more proud of the work of the Social Exclusion Unit on neighbourhood renewal –

This strategy is powerful because of the sheer volume of deprived neighbourhoods it will regenerate.

There are parts of Britain where 40% of residents are living on means tested benefits, over 75% of children are not getting 5 good GCSE passes

There are neighbourhoods where the crime rate is three times the national average

In the health authorities in the 20% most deprived areas, 26% more people died from coronary disease, than in the UK as a whole in 1999.

These are neighbourhoods where residents are trapped in circle of poverty, the soul destroying poverty of choice, poverty of expectation and poverty of opportunity that residents in these areas have lived with for years.

I have already mentioned the partnership approach adopted in the formulation of the policy that is a partnership that runs throughout the strategy.

The emphasis is on local strategic partnerships and pilot local PSA’s. Bringing together the private, public and voluntary sectors, service providers, government offices, local community groups, local authorities, small businesses – forging real and lasting partnerships that operate on consensus – finding ways to build better neighbourhoods together.

In outlining the neighbourhood renewal strategy we have set one of the hardest challenges to date for service providers, setting baseline targets for performance in Britain’s most deprived neighbourhoods.

In the past it has been possible to achieve national targets for service delivery by exceeding performance in better areas, where arguably there is a more articulate, more demanding customer base, while more deprived areas are allowed to fail.

By setting minimum standards in key areas of service delivery, we hope to reverse this pattern by among other things raising standards in education, health and local services, by tackling high crime rates and eliminating sub-standard housing.

The new Neighbourhood Renewal Unit in the DETR set up to implement the strategy will be taking this work forward. Local Strategic Partnerships are a crucial element of the Strategy.

Local Strategic Partnerships will bring together the private, public and voluntary sectors, service providers, government offices, local community groups, local authorities, small businesses – forging real and lasting partnerships that operate on consensus – finding ways to build better neighbourhoods together.

Local Authorities will have an important role to play in setting up and in some areas leading Local Strategic Partnerships.

This Strategy places an emphasis on community involvement, and opens a plethora of doors to give local people an input, a real voice in raising the standards in their area.

It is policies like these - that depend on local delivery and have huge national implications - that demonstrate why we need to find ways of ensuring local leadership is given the recognition, the value, the profile it deserves.By setting minimum standards in key areas of service delivery, we hope to reverse this pattern by among other things raising standards in education, health and local services, by tackling high crime rates and eliminating sub-standard housing.

Another reason I have such hope, such enthusiasm for this policy is that it places the emphasis on partnerships, and opens a plethora of doors to give local people an input, a real voice in raising the standards in their area.

A large segment of the funding for neighbourhood renewal will be directed by local authorities, through and with the local strategic partnershipsLocal authorities, through and with the local strategic partnerships will direct a large segment of the funding for neighbourhood renewal.

Directed by Tthe very people that the majority of Britain didn’t bother voting for.

A disappointing poor mandate for delivering what is quite possibly the most radical and far reaching policy initiative of this generation.

Then we have Europe.

The biggest accusation levelled against Europe by the anti-Europeans is that it is unrepresentative and undemocratic.

How ironic that the British people en masse allow it to be this way by not bothering to vote for their representatives in Europe.

I am pro-European – and I am not ashamed of that. I

I am not ashamed to want to stand up for Britain’s interest in Europe.

I am not ashamed to say I want a seat at the table when Europe is making big economic decisions that will impact on my constituents, my countrymen and women and my neighbours.

[Potential for political reference / "foreign Land"]

So, Ppolitical leaders should have a convincing mandate for change.

To obtain that mandate political leaders at every level have to address the central question of re-engaging both their electorate and their potential, "not quite made it to the ballot box, not quite seen the point of voting", electorate – in questions of how Britain is governed.

We need a two pronged approach involving a strong centre and strong community based front-line.

Pulling together to deliver the national interest in areas like neighbourhood renewal – at a local level.

We need to strengthen and support local government so that local residents have a say in the democracy, in the services provided in their area. Be it through elected mayors, cabinet councils, regional assemblies or local strategic partnerships.

Community plans, local strategic partnerships, new constitutions, all of theses things place the emphasis on local involvement and partnership.

Of course many councils are used to partnership working. For others it will be a tougher challenge. There’s a difficult balance to strike, on the one hand giving partners the space to deliver their unique contribution. On the other hand, these reforms provide a chance for councils to show real leadership, based on their democratic mandate, which only they can supply.

Strong central government mirrored by strong local government working in partnership to deliver real and sustainable improvements at a grass roots level.

Accountable local and national leaders working together to build a better Britain.

Delivering visible change to our public services is essential to achieving strong government and to re-engaging the people of Britain so that local voices are audible through our democratic processes.

The trade unions also have a vital part to play here. Ensuring that front-line staff who know what the problems are and what will and won’t work on the ground, are represented in discussions about improving our public services.

I think one of the greatest assets a political leader can have is an ability toWe must also undertake effective consultation.

The government has recently launched a new code of practice for central government consultations. This outlines some basic principals on written consultation for example, a twelve week minimum period should be given for consultations, and a commitment to feedback on views expressed.

But as political leaders we need to do more than that.

Our role is to represent opinions in our constituencies, and we need to be creative in canvassing those opinions.

We need to find ways of thinking outside the box, of reaching those whose voices are frequently not heard, of going beyond standard checklists of people to involve in consultations and broadening the range of ideas we can access.

Making full use of forums like the people’s panel. The

The People’s Panel is made up of 5,000 members of the public. It has a profile that is representative of the UK population in terms of age, gender, region and a wide range of other demographic indicators.

Making best use of the advantages that new technology gives in extending consultation.

Talking of new technology, as a minister with responsibility for e-government, I have seen some cynicism around both the modernising government agenda, and e-government specifically.

I would like to set the record straight:

E-government is not about replacing existing methods of service delivery

We have been quite clear that delivering services on-line is a means to an end – that end being choice and flexibility for service users deciding how and when to access government services.

Whether they want to do it from their offices at lunchtime, their home in the evening, or want to wander down to their local service providers during the day. We know that time is not a free commodity – and that taking up the time of service users is something we should avoid if we can – the internet is one way of achieving this aim.

E-government is not about creating further social exclusion, widening the gap between the haves and have-nots with a new set of barriers to government rooted in new technology.

That is why the government is delivering it’s target to provide Internet access to all those who want it by 2005. Installing Internet facilities in local libraries, schools, post-offices and extending the network of UK Online centres to 6000 by 2005.

That is why we have programmes like Computers Within Reach. A scheme to provide low-cost recycled computers to over 100,000 low-income families.

New technology delivers new challenges, like the challenge to ensure both our staff and our service users have the skills to access the benefits new technology brings where that is achievable.

E-government is not an end in itself in improving our public services, but it is a start, a tool we can use, a gateway to government services we can explore, an option, a choice we can give users of public services.

The LGA, IdEA, the Cabinet Office and the DETR have worked together to take some of the best practice, the best ideas from central government, and offer them to local government through Information Age Government, a consultation paper encouraging local government to get the most out of new technology.

As part of the Spending Review 2000 funds were allocated to assist local authorities to increase the pace of electronic service delivery. In addition to the £1billion already available to local authorities for IT investment, the spending review also earmarked another £350 million over 3 years to be invested in 15-20 pathfinder local authorities or partnerships to develop e-government initiatives.

E-government can assist the transformation of public services into community facing customer driven organisations – it can’t do the whole job for you, but it can get you closer to that target than you would otherwise have been.

We don’t live in a perfect world

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to create one

In my experience, having travelled the length and breadth of the UK, having met political leaders at every level of government inside Britain, and inside Europe,

I would say we are remarkably privileged in Britain.

We have a plethora, a veritable surplus of excellent political leaders.

There is no question that we are wasting or lacking talent in that department.

The challenge is to make that leadership count.

By improving our service delivery, improving our local participation and re-engaging the people of this great nation in the fundamental principal of democracy.

When we look around the world, at nations struggling to regain some control of their destiny under dictatorships, at countries where voting is not an option, where democracy is only a dream:

We can see how lucky we really are.

The challenge now is to use our good fortune wisely, ensure that our electorate are not left feeling that their vote counts for nothing, and ensure that our local and national government’s work to recreate a sense belonging to a community we are all part of.

Political leadership is a wonderful concept, rich with potential to drive change and improvement. It is our job - our duty - to ensure we neither lose nor squander it.

Thank you.