The Reform of Public Services Under New Labour : Narratives of Consumerism

The New Labour governments have rebuilt public services around the citizen-consumer: a choice-wielding individual disconnected from the political context of the welfare state. In their interactions with central and local government, citizens are recast as customers in search of satisfaction. Drawing on interviews conducted by the author with politicians, bureaucrats and citizens, alongside content analysis of government documents, the book explains how New Labour has consumerized public services and contributed to the anti-politics that it has widely decried. At The Doctor's Surgery, The Local School, The Jobcentre Plus, Public Service Users Share A Desire For Prompt, Polite And Responsive Treatment. They Want Services That Meet Their Individual Needs And Allow Them To Feel Engaged In The Process. These Common And Seemingly Non-contentious Expectations Are At The Centre Of Controversy Over New Labour's Public Service Reforms In The Uk. Such Attitudes Are Linked To Consumerism In Public Services - A Force That Can, According To Rival Interpretations, Drive Up Service Standards Or Corrode The Collective Status Underlying Citizenship. The Book Shows How New Labour Has Drawn On Different Narratives Of Consumerism During A Decade In Office. Using Content Analysis Of Government Documents And Interviews With Policy Actors And Citizens, It Moves Beyond Accounts That Assume New Labour's Consumerism Has Applied Evenly To Public Services And Over Time. The Book Concludes With A Call To Transcend Consumerism And Encourage Approaches That Recognise The Service User As A 1coproducer2. Introduction : Citizens And Consumers -- Public Service Reform : Narratives And Regimes -- A Consumerist Citizenship Regime -- Public Services Before New Labour : The Path To Consumerism -- The Context Of Public Service Reform Under New Labour : Marketising The Welfare State -- Tony Blair : Consumerism And Community -- The Consumer In Whitehall -- Local Government : The Customer In The Community -- The Citizen Perspective -- Conclusion : Coproducing Public Services. Catherine Needham. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 230-250) And Index. Drawing on interviews conducted by the author with politicians, bureaucrats and citizens, alongside content analysis of government documents, the book explains how New Labour has consumerized public services and contributed to the anti-politics that it previously decried. At the doctor's surgery, the local school, the JobCentre Plus, public service users share a desire for prompt, polite and responsive treatment. They want services that meet their individual needs and allow them to feel engaged in the process. These common and seemingly non-contentious expectations are at the centre of controversy over New Labour's public service reforms in the UK. Such attitudes are linked to consumerism in public services -- a force that can, according to rival interpretations, drive up service standards or corrode the collective status underlying citizenship. The book shows how New Labour has drawn on different narratives of consumerism during a decade in office. Using content analysis of government documents and interviews with policy actors and citizens, it moves beyond accounts that assume New Labour's consumerism has applied evenly to public services and over time. The book concludes with a call to transcend consumerism and encourage approaches that recognise the service user as a 'coproducer'