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Minister joins Tory call for happiness
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent09.09.08
Making people happier should be given a greater priority in Government policy, a Cabinet minister said today.
Moderniser James Purnell echoed David Cameron's call for people's well-being to be pushed up the political agenda.
"In simple terms, Britain could be happier," said the Work and Pensions Secretary while also advocating that money in general makes people happier.
He has ordered an urgent study into improving well-being at work.
Mr Purnell's move will be seen by some MPs as a sign that Labour has been rattled by the Tory leader's ability to connect with millions of burnt out workers desperate for a better lifestyle.
But sources close to the Cabinet rising star argued that Labour was determined to draw up policies on issues such as happiness but that the Tories were just following the latest fad before ditching it for another trend.
At a conference on well-being in central London, Mr Purnell stressed that six million people suffer from depression or anxiety in Britain, two-thirds of adults say that work interferes with their family life and that teenagers in the UK trust each other less than those in almost any other country.
He rejected arguments by academics that there is no link between wealth and happiness.
"We do get happier as we get richer," he said.
"And there doesn't appear to be declining happiness returns to wealth. But we should not lose sight of the simple truth; that there is more to life than money. Or more precisely, more to politics than growth."
His comments echo Mr Cameron's campaign for a general well being index for the country alongside the GDP measurement of economic growth.
Arguing against a rush for growth, he added that New Labour had to "come out of Thatcherism's shadow."
"Growth matters - that should be obvious at a time of economic slowdown," he added.
"People suffer when prices go up. When they lose their jobs. When they worry about their family's future. But some types of growth are better than others. Growth that doesn't harm the environment. Growth that helps people be happy."
By giving people power to change their life and supporting them, particularly in finding and staying in a "rewarding, productive and healthier" job, the Government could encourage better well-being.
He also seized on shadow Chancellor George Osborne's move to ditch his promise to match Labour's spending plans if the Tories win power.
"The Conservatives have indicated that their public spending policy is shifting towards deep and painful cuts in public expenditure," he said.
Reader views (2)
When I discovered that the seminar on wellbeing and happiness was about to take place in London I offered to speak at it at the last minute (an offer not taken up or even acknowledged by the organisers) as the large majority on the list of speakers looked very uninspiring and very typically central government 'going through the motions'. As someone who has worked in local government I have quite clear ideas of what keeps people unhappy and I am dedicating the rest of my professional life (I am a solicitor who is now a coach using NLP etc) to helping people with low self esteem and depression. Unfortunately, central government often gets it so wrong.
- Jackie Hawken, Bristol
What is Mr Purnell going to do if we are not happy (and I suspect most of us are not)? Will we have local Council narks reporting us for not showing happiness, or will be fined on the spot until we smile? Perhaps we will be sent on happiness courses. I think happiness is the absence of New Labour. Send me to jail.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK
