Howell lambasts 'dream pedlars'
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ME RAILWAYS move towards more efficient work methods has )een delayed by Labour Party politicians' claims that there will ilways be more money available for British Rail, Transport Secre:ary David Howell claimed last week.
Speaking to Conservatives in _ondon, he said: "The Labour eader and his colleagues claim :hey have 'warned and warned 3n d warned' the Government 3bout the prospect of a railway strike.
"In reality, they have done something quite different. They have encouraged and en.-.1ouraged and encouraged the unions to believe that there would always be more money without more efficiency and better work methods," he said.
Mr Howell said that Labour politicians were misleading the public when they claimed that Government support for BR had been cut. "In fact, total Government support for the railways this year is £186m more, in real terms, than it was in the last full year of the previous Labour Government.
"The taxpayer has been paying more than £2.3m a day to keep the railways running. Last year, more taxpayers' money went into the passenger system than ever before," he added.
He said this "misguidance" is bound to damage the railways, as it promotes fears of change, instead of an understanding of the opportunities for securing a speedy and efficient railway in the future.
Mr Howell went on: "It is a small part of the larger delusion which Labour so uncaringly peddles. This larger dream is that there is a simple answer to all the deep and longstanding problems of unemployment and industrial weakness. It is just a question of spending, so we are told, more, much more taxpayers' money."
He continued: "Of course, we know that this is a quack remedy, harming many more than it would help. Fewer and fewer in a shrinking Labour movement are deceived by it. More and more people outside in the real world perceive that these problems have many component parts and demand a whole range of new and carefully focused responses, far beyond the Labour Party's range of thought."
Mr Howell said that both the Government and the taxpayer are ready to help BR management adopt a vigorous approach to new work methods, and said: "The enemies of these worthwhile goals are the dream pedlars, those who dismiss talk of efficiency and cost-cutting and urge simply that taxpayer and ratepayer cough up more, regardless.