“Enterprise government” in Great Britain: we need it more in our region!

It took only about ten minutes for UK Prime Minister David Cameron to explain fundamentals of his government policy and respond to many concerns about the track taken in domestic and foreign affairs. Mr. Cameron delivered his short speech at conservative party spring conference in Cardiff today.

The government will struggle against biggest state budget deficit in the history of the United Kingdom – 38 billion British pounds. The government will do it by public expense cuts and refocusing on small business sector to reduce unemployment and generate citizen incomes. Speaking most concisely Mr. Cameron defined the policy priority as promoting “enterprise culture” and pushing the rise of small enterprises. 

Mr. Cameron told he is “going to watch banks as a hawk” to make sure money goes to small business people.  Similarly in social services citizens will advance responsible to secure against misuse of public funds.  Commentators doubt as in market economy it might bring to the rise of bank interest for private sector, consumer prices and hardly improve citizen welfare.   

There is nothing strange in such approach by conservative government, which used to be a party of private owners. However the impressive aspect is that the emphasis is done on wider entrepreneurs, and guaranties were articulated to boost small business, which covers a considerable part of population. More cautious responses to the PM speech noticed that no details were disclosed to judge if it is a right trajectory of domestic policy? More details will be evident when the financial year starts in April. 

However for me as a listener of the speech British policy appeared very open and transparent.  Less than year ago elected government makes brave and open steps to propose and pursues declared policy, undertaking all consequence risks.  Decentralization of public expenditure might be demanded at this very economic situation of the UK. Labour party are also suggesting cuts, but as they say not in such radical scope and systemic overhauls of public sector. 

Economic forecasts do not always work well and any radical shifts can be unexpectedly successful and undesirably disastrous effect.  And what we might be very sympathetic about is the UK government eloquence, rigor and readiness to bare the risk and stay responsible. 

Is shifting a gravity to private enterprises and citizens responsibility a single way for the UK out of economic hardships,  I can hardly judge, but the overhaul of enormous regulatory domination of governments,  boosting citizen initiatives, sweeping the economic structure and make actually private business relations inside the pubic sector transparent -  are heavily demanded  in countries of our region. Thus the enterprise economy is tailored for us indeed, as well as “enterprise government” is impatiently welcome.