THE BEVERIDGE GROUP was originally founded in 2001 by four new MPs  - John Barrett, Alistair Carmichael, Paul Holmes and John Pugh during a period when the party was re-thinking its approach to public services (the Huhne Commission).

It was at the time a reaction to the party’s ambivalent attitude towards PFI and a seeming drift away  across the public spectrum from robustly accountable public services. In the words of Alistair Carmichael:

“The Group approaches public service provision from the basic premise that  public services must be accountable and responsive to community needs and wishes.   They are therefore best provided by democratically elected bodies and as a consequence of that are most likely to be paid for out of general taxation which should wherever possible be progressive and transparent.” (Liberator)

He goes on to pose the question whether such a group is necessary and that then was also indeed the view of party’s Director of Policy, Dr Richard Grayson.  It is no longer his view nor the view of many parliamentarians.

On the contrary it is now believed by many that the Liberal Democrats partners in the current coalition have ambitious plans to reduce dramatically the state’s involvement in the direct provision of public services. This clear, emerging agenda is now being progresses incrementally without overt debate and a tension is emerging between those Conservatives who identify ”public sector reform and efficiency ‘ with privatisation and Liberal Democrats who identify it with “robust accountability”.

There can never be a better time for a Beveridge.