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Being rich 'should be celebrated' | Being rich 'should be celebrated' |
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The UK should "celebrate the fact that people can be enormously successful in this country", Business Secretary John Hutton is expected to say. | The UK should "celebrate the fact that people can be enormously successful in this country", Business Secretary John Hutton is expected to say. |
In a speech he will argue that "more millionaires" are needed, calling freedom to get rich "a good thing". | In a speech he will argue that "more millionaires" are needed, calling freedom to get rich "a good thing". |
The goal that "no-one should be left behind" should not mean no-one can get ahead, he will say. | |
His Progress lecture comes on the eve of the Budget and as ministers announce plans for an "enterprise academy". | |
It will be seen as an attempt to woo the business community, whose support is increasingly being fought over by Labour and the Conservatives. | It will be seen as an attempt to woo the business community, whose support is increasingly being fought over by Labour and the Conservatives. |
'Fundamental' | |
Firms are putting pressure on the government to reduce the rate of corporation tax and simplify the system. | Firms are putting pressure on the government to reduce the rate of corporation tax and simplify the system. |
But trade unions argue that this would shift the taxation burden from the "super-rich" to ordinary earners. | But trade unions argue that this would shift the taxation burden from the "super-rich" to ordinary earners. |
Aspiration and ambition are natural human emotions - not the perverted side-effect of primitive capitalism John HuttonBusiness secretary | |
Mr Hutton, a strong supporter of former prime minister Tony Blair, will stress that there will be no return to any Labour sense of hostility towards business under Gordon Brown. | |
In his speech, he is expected to say: "The real architects of New Labour - Tony, Gordon and Peter [Mandelson - the EU's trade commissioner] - always knew that recognising the contribution that business makes to Britain was more than just tactical. | |
"We were making a more fundamental shift - to recognise that aspiration and ambition are natural human emotions - not the perverted side-effect of primitive capitalism." | |
'Statistically possible' | |
Defeating poverty will rely on allowing people to "be the authors of their own lives", Mr Hutton will add. | |
"It is statistically possible to have a society where no child lives in a family whose income is below the poverty line - 60% of median average income - but where there are also people at the top who are very wealthy. | "It is statistically possible to have a society where no child lives in a family whose income is below the poverty line - 60% of median average income - but where there are also people at the top who are very wealthy. |
"In fact, not only is it statistically possible - it is positively a good thing. | "In fact, not only is it statistically possible - it is positively a good thing. |
"So rather than questioning whether high salaries are morally justified, we should celebrate the fact that people can be enormously successful in this country. | "So rather than questioning whether high salaries are morally justified, we should celebrate the fact that people can be enormously successful in this country. |
"Rather than placing a cap on that success, we should be questioning why it is not available to more people. | "Rather than placing a cap on that success, we should be questioning why it is not available to more people. |
"We want more millionaires in Britain not less. Our overarching goal that no-one should get left behind must not become translated into a stultifying sense that no-one should be allowed to get ahead." | "We want more millionaires in Britain not less. Our overarching goal that no-one should get left behind must not become translated into a stultifying sense that no-one should be allowed to get ahead." |
Enterprise academy | |
Mr Hutton joined Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling earlier to announce plans for a National Enterprise Academy, which will offer a qualification in enterprise to 16 to 19-year-olds. | |
The government is contributing up to half of the £8m needed, with the rest coming from entrepreneur and Dragon's Den star Peter Jones's charitable foundation and other sources. | |
The academy, in south-east England, will accept its first full intake of students in autumn 2009. A second is to be set up in the North West. | |
The academies will provide support and training for entrepreneurs and encourage enterprise awareness, particularly among women. | |
Mr Hutton said: "I want the UK to be the most enterprising economy in the world - and to achieve that we must unlock this country's talent." |