Douglas Carswell's Blog

How to decentralise from the centre

"Prime ministers who want to devolve power from central government" the Economist tells us "find themselves having to hoard it within their own office."

It doesn't have to be that way.  Not if you have a coherent plan as to how to let go.  Not if you have an agenda designed to avoid the must-hoard-power-to-disperse-power pit falls - rather than one designed by Whitehall insiders with a power hoarding agenda.  

A generation ago, Conservatives toyed with the idea of dispersing power over economic things.  In the early 1970s, without a clear plan, they ended up doing the opposite, bringing in a prices and incomes policy. 

It is only after 1979, when they'd worked out how to let go - letting people follow their own interests in buying council houses, or owning for themselves a share of business - that power was dispersed.

If you are having to hoard power in order to decentralise power, it might mean you have too many Whitehall grandees and magpie minds in charge.  Too many ambitious courtiers tacking towards whatever they see as fashionable.  And, dare I say it, not enough from those who helped pioneer this whole localism / decentralisation meme.

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