Cutting ‘red tape’ is nothing but a red herring – and arguably counterproductive | Heather Stewart
News Source
•Sun, 25 Oct 2026 13:00:34 GMT
📰 What Happened
The UK government says it will cut red tape to help firms grow. Guardian columnist Heather Stewart calls this a tired old line. She notes the phrase dates back to Victorian times and was made famous by Thatcher and Reagan. She argues that blaming rules for a weak economy is a distraction. Her point is that Britain needs better rules, not fewer rules.
🔍 The Backstory
The column comes before the first budget from chancellor John Healey on Wednesday. Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised to end 40 years of neoliberalism. Yet his government still talks about slashing rules that choke firms. Past leaders used the same words: Thatcher's City deregulation, John Major's pledge to hack back the jungle, Michael Heseltine's bonfire of red tape. Ms Stewart says Labour has actually taken a pro-regulation line on workers' rights.
🎯 Why It Matters
Rules decide whether your food is safe and your pay is fair. Debating them matters more than repeating slogans about cutting them.
The UK government says it will cut red tape to help firms grow. Guardian columnist Heather Stewart calls this a tired old line. She notes the phrase dates back to Victorian times and was made famous by Thatcher and Reagan. She argues that blaming rules for a weak economy is a distraction. Her point is that Britain needs better rules, not fewer rules.
The column comes before the first budget from chancellor John Healey on Wednesday. Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised to end 40 years of neoliberalism. Yet his government still talks about slashing rules that choke firms. Past leaders used the same words: Thatcher's City deregulation, John Major's pledge to hack back the jungle, Michael Heseltine's bonfire of red tape. Ms Stewart says Labour has actually taken a pro-regulation line on workers' rights.
Rules decide whether your food is safe and your pay is fair. Debating them matters more than repeating slogans about cutting them.