Labour has been ridiculed over the blizzard of ‘talking shops’ it has launched since winning the election.
At least 67 reviews, consultations and taskforces have been set up by Whitehall departments in the first 150 days of the new Government – nearly one every other day.
Even more have been promised, including in areas such as cutting the bloated benefits bill, that will not even begin until next year.
It has prompted claims that ministers are putting off taking urgent action to fix public services and improve the economy.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, who served as minister for government efficiency in the Cabinet Office, told the Mail: ‘To govern is to choose – to govern is not to review.
‘The purpose of opposition is to work out what to do in government, but they have got elected without a clue. It’s absolutely astonishing – they don’t seem to have any idea of how to govern.’
Sir Jacob warned that if ministers did not yet know what policies they wanted to implement, it would take two or three years for proposals to be worked out and legislation drafted.
It will then lead to a ‘log-jam’ as ministers try to get their proposed laws included in the next King’s Speech. In the meantime, civil servants will present bills ‘they have had in a dusty drawer for years’.
Sir Keir Starmer’s government has come under fire for setting up 67 reviews and taskforces since coming to power
The list of talking shops in full
‘It leads to very weak government and a political vacuum,’ he said.
Downing Street last night rejected a suggestion that the ever-growing list of reviews risked hindering Sir Keir Starmer’s progress in delivering on the targets he will set out this week in his new Plan for Change.
Analysis by Sky News at the weekend identified 61 different reviews set up by Labour. But further research by the Mail has found six more that have already been launched since the summer, plus at least four more due to begin next year.
Ongoing reviews range from the major Strategic Defence Review to an investigation into whether the sugar tax should apply to milkshakes as well as soft drinks.
The Home Office is considering everything from firefighters’ pensions to how ninja swords should be defined ahead of a proposed ban.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also commissioned a ‘rapid analytical sprint on extremism’ and asked the migration advisory committee to look into why IT and engineering are so reliant on the recruitment of foreign workers.
Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden – who was confronted by Sky News over the lengthy list of reviews on Sunday – is leading a review of ‘national resilience’ in response to the first report of the Covid inquiry.
Last week the Department for Business and Trade committed to a ‘fast-track consultation’ of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which sets out electric car sales targets, and is also in the ‘early planning stage’ of a review of parental leave as part of Labour’s workers’ rights bonanza.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is already reviewing the water sector but will also launch a ‘consultation in the new year to review the current funding formula for flood and coastal defences’.
Former cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said that Labour seemed to have ‘no idea how to govern’
Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden (pictured) is leading a review of ‘national resilience’ in response to the first report of the Covid inquiry
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper commissioned ‘rapid analytical sprint on extremism’ and asked the migration advisory committee to look into why IT and engineering are so reliant on the recruitment of foreign workers
Meanwhile, the Department for Work and Pensions has committed to a review of Universal Credit which has not yet been launched. It published a White Paper on getting people back to work last week but put off reform to the benefits system until a Green Paper next year, along with a review of getting jobs for more disabled people.
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Taxpayers will be reeling from the number of reviews Labour have launched since entering government.
‘The Prime Minister promised change during the election, but this simply proves that it is business as usual in Whitehall, where talk trumps action. Instead of providing busy work for bureaucrats, the Government should concentrate on the priorities of the British people.’
A spokesman for Reform UK added: ‘We are a matter of months into this new parliamentary term and this failing Government appears to be doing more reviews than actual policy-making.
‘After freezing pensioners, hiking taxes and risking the future of British farming, Labour clearly have no positive ideas to save Britain.’
But asked if the blizzard of reviews risked hindering the delivery of Sir Keir Starmer’s new ‘milestones’, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘No, the Government has been completely focused on delivery since it got elected. It has already made significant progress.
‘You’ll have seen the Budget, a set of very important and difficult decisions to fix the foundations of the economy, invest in public services, and deliver improvements for working people.
‘We’ve seen progress against the First Steps; whether it’s the Budget providing the largest NHS funding settlement since 2010 to deliver the additional 40,000 extra elective appointments a week, setting up Great British energy in Aberdeen, establishing the new Border Security Command.
‘So the Government is focused on delivery, it’s focused on the specific, pragmatic solutions that will deliver real improvement to the lives of people across the country.’
