Coalition issues full policy audit after blunder
THE COALITION yesterday issued a “full, frank and unvarnished” judgement of its performance, highlighting its successes and failures over the last two-and-a-half years – but its release was mired in controversy.
The government hoped it would gain credit for being honest and revealing it has failed to implement dozens of promised policies. But Labour called the 122-page document a “whitewash” and criticised the decision to publish it just two days after the more upbeat ‘mid-term review’.
The existence of the policy audit emerged in a farcical fashion, after Downing Street adviser Patrick Rock was on Tuesday photographed walking into Number 10 holding a confidential briefing that debated whether to release the appraisal.
Enlargement of the photographs revealed that the government feared publication would highlight “problematic areas” and lead to “unfavourable copy” in the media. The document was eventually published 24 hours after Rock’s blunder.
Policies that have not been implemented include the creation of a single economic crime agency, a vote on the hunting ban, and an elected House of Lords.