A manifesto for Gordon Brown

Ten pieces of urgent advice for the new man at No 10

Thursday, 28 June 2007

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Take a lead on Europe

"Explain to the British people that co-operating with Britain's European partners is not about some federalist ambition, but ultimately about serving Britain's interests. Even if you don't take Britain into the eurozone, you have an opportunity now to lead Britain towards greater co-operation in the economic and monetary fields, in fighting terrorism and in forging strong and effective joint action in areas of foreign policy."

Jacques Delors, former president of the European Commission

Make poverty a priority

"I would ask the new Prime Minister to make clear to other world leaders that poverty remains at the heart of his agenda. Even if it is unpopular, 10 million children dying of extreme poverty this year is not somebody else's emergency."

Bono, U2 singer and founder of Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa

Set schools free

"Give greater autonomy to schools so they can run their own affairs as well as tighten discipline, choose the curriculum and exams, expand arts and sports, and give teachers more freedom."

Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington College and biographer of Tony Blair

Take politics out of NHS

"Increase funding for a core service and ask patients to pay for extra services, according to their means, to meet the ever-escalating cost of health care and patients' expectations."

Lord Winston, Labour peer and fertility expert

Troops out sooner

"Gordon Brown should pull British troops out of Iraq, the sooner the better. Above all, he should talk to the chiefs of staff about their views and actually take notice of what they have to say, something Downing Street appears to have failed to do so far."

Major-General Julian Thompson

Don't sacrifice the arts

"The Olympics should be about sport and the arts, not sport and no arts. If it means money is taken away from the artist in order to pay for sport, it will be a total travesty of the support of the arts community."

Antony Gormley, sculptor

Reform voting system

"Gordon Brown should call a referendum, giving voters the choice between the current system and the single transferable vote system of proportional representation as used in the Republic of Ireland and in Scottish local government."

Vernon Bogdanor, professor of government at Oxford University and vice-president of the Electoral Reform Society

Build flood defences

"Make sure our coasts and cities are better protected. Sea levels will rise faster than predicted because of climate change. Eventually we will even have to contemplate moving London as you cannot protect the capital indefinitely against flooding. It won't be too long before a storm tide begins to pound the Thames Barrier. Mr Brown should make sure we have plans to evacuate vulnerable places, such as London and the Fens, which could suffer a New Orleans-style flood."

James Lovelock, scientist, environmentalist and author

Reduce regulation

"From day one, it is vital that simpler and better regulation of wealth and job creation takes the place of excessive red tape. Bureaucracy is a serious problem in the private sector."

Sir Digby Jones, former director general of the CBI

Drop detention plans

"Drop plans to extend pre-charge detention beyond 28 days. And take every public and private opportunity to build cross-party consensus on anti-terror policy."

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty