Gordon Brown’s first day as prime minister today (Thursday) is being cautiously welcomed by IT leaders as an opportunity for a renewed focus on technology-enabled reforms.
Few anticipate changes to major government IT programmes, or to the wider public service modernisation agenda underpinned by the Transformational Government technology plan.
But the looming General Election, expected by some as early as 2008, will focus the new PM on realising tangible benefits from IT-enabled public service reform programmes.
‘Brown has more to prove than Tony Blair, and has his mind focused by the election,’ said Eric Woods, government practice director at analyst Ovum.
‘The requirement for a return on investment is even greater for a new PM who has to show the public what the benefits are and re-connect with broad support in his own party,’ he said.
Some believe Brown’s infamously controlling style could even help push through tricky IT delivery challenges.
‘What we will get with Brown will be implementation,’ said one Whitehall insider.
‘The difference between Blair and Brown is that Blair liked to get a consensus and then left people to get on with it. Brown is more methodical and systems-oriented, and gets extremely annoyed when people don’t do what they have promised.’
The new PM’s biggest focus will be on education and skills.
Last week, in his final Mansion House speech as chancellor, Brown told the City: ‘Britain’s greatest natural resource is its people – resourceful, enterprising, innovative – the foundation on which we will compete successfully’.
He is expected to champion the needs of the UK knowledge economy to ensure global competitiveness.
‘Skills and education will be a flagship policy for the new PM and is going to be higher up the political agenda,’ said Karen Price, chief executive of sector skills body e-Skills UK.
