As anyone who has seen Andrew Marr's recent History Of Modern Britain on BBC will realise, the last decade has been unique in post-war British history for its economic prosperity. Mr Marr, who is, by the way, hosting The MJ Achievement Awards gala evening this week at London's Hilton Hotel – I couldn't resist the plug – reminded us in his final programme that we really have ‘never had it so good'. In the 15 years from 1977 to 1992, there were three recessions. There has been none in the last 15 years. A generation has grown up never knowing anything but economic prosperity. And the prime cause is Britain's enthusiastic embrace of the global economy. So, Gordon Brown becomes prime minister at a particularly opportune time. Britain, in particular, has benefited from the huge increase in the global economy, with London overtaking New York as the financial and multicultural centre of the western world. Cheap goods from China and immigrant workers from eastern Europe have helped keep price and wage inflation low. But while the upside of globalism is good news for city traders and hirers of Polish plumbers, there is a looming downside, and it is local government which has to address it. Unskilled immigrant labour may fill labour shortages and keep wage inflation down, but there is a cost in terms of social housing, welfare benefits, language training and education which is often unrecognised by the Government – as Slough and the London boroughs can testify. An equal challenge is reducing the so-called ‘underclass', the persistent minority of low achievers, mainly white working class, who leave school at 16 with no skills or prospects in an economy whose unskilled jobs have been exported to China or India. There are many challenges for the new PM but these two must be at the top of his pile. And, in this arena, in skills, education and training, welfare, social cohesion, regional economic development, local government is his key ally. To paraphrase a former PM, just give local authorities the resources and the powers, Mr Brown, and let them do the job for you. Michael Burton, Editor, The MJ
