"Just look at what the British government has accomplished over the last decade"

It's always interesting to get a bit of perspective when looking at the successes and failures of the government, from people who are knowledgeable about a subject, but aren't caught up in the day to day arguments. Paul Krugman, a leftie American economist, wrote an article last Christmas called 'Helping the Poor, the British Way'. Here's his assessment:

"Government truly can be a force for good...The Blair years have shown that a government that seriously tries to reduce poverty can achieve a lot"

"Britain's poverty rate, if measured American-style - that is, in terms of a fixed poverty line, not a moving target that rises as the nation grows richer - has been cut in half since Labor came to power in 1997. Britain's war on poverty has been led by Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the exchequer and Mr. Blair's heir apparent. There's nothing exotic about his policies, many of which are inspired by American models. But in Britain, these policies are carried out with much more determination."

"It really helps to have politicians who are serious about governing, rather than devoting themselves entirely to amassing power and rewarding cronies"

"I was startled by the sheer rationality of British policy discussion."

"Instead of making grandiose promises that are quickly forgotten...British Labor politicians propose specific policies with well-defined goals. And when actual results fall short of those goals, they face the facts rather than trying to suppress them and sliming the critics."

It's like reading Labour Party News, only with a much improved writing style. You can read the whole thing here.