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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| PM seeks 'self-generating' reform | PM seeks 'self-generating' reform |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has called for a "permanent revolution" in public service reform to meet the public's high expectations. | Tony Blair has called for a "permanent revolution" in public service reform to meet the public's high expectations. |
| He told MPs he believes there should be "self-sustaining and self-generating" change in schools and hospitals. | He told MPs he believes there should be "self-sustaining and self-generating" change in schools and hospitals. |
| Mr Blair is being grilled on public sector reform in his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee. | Mr Blair is being grilled on public sector reform in his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee. |
| Mr Blair, who steps down as PM next week, has faced the committee - made up of chairmen of the select committees - twice a year since 2002. | Mr Blair, who steps down as PM next week, has faced the committee - made up of chairmen of the select committees - twice a year since 2002. |
| Mr Blair spoke of his frustration at the "forces of conservatism" in the public sector unions who opposed his reforms. | |
| "The danger sometimes is that public service unions and associations get into a competition over who can flag up the most resistance to change." | |
| But he also admitted he had not done enough to praise public sector workers and make the case for change. | |
| "Sometimes we say it and it doesn't get heard, but we need to do more," Mr Blair told the committee. | |
| 'Sofa government' | |
| On Lord Butler's criticisms of Mr Blair's informal style of government, Mr Blair said the former cabinet secretary had only been in his job for the first eight months after Labour came to power. | |
| He said he did not recognise the description of "sofa" government from Lord Butler, who used the term after he headed an inquiry into the quality and use of pre-Iraq war intelligence on weapons of mass destruction. | |
| Mr Blair added: "I don't believe I am the first prime minister who has discussed issues with a few people close to me." | |
| "It is true there is a sofa in my study but that can not be a huge innovation either." | |
| He said it was "perfectly natural" to have discussions with special advisers but policy development had been led by individual departments - including in controversial areas such as nuclear power. | |
| He is expected to be questioned about a range of domestic and international issues during the 90 minute session, including the situation in Iraq and this week's EU summit. | |
| Mr Blair is to attend the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday where EU leaders will seek thrash out their differences over a treaty which is seen as an attempt to bring into force a number of ideas from the ill-fated EU constitution. | |
| The constitution was abandoned after being rejected in referendums, including in France, and before the promised referendum was held in the UK. | |
| Among Britain's demands are that it keep sovereignty over criminal law and foreign policy. | Among Britain's demands are that it keep sovereignty over criminal law and foreign policy. |