Cameron attacks 'lack of values'

Post Offices closures effect rural communities, says Mr Cameron

British people have been living under a regime of government by "management consultant" where social values do not matter, David Cameron has argued.

He blamed Labour for "an explosion of bureaucracy, cost and irritation", resulting in the closure of libraries, Post Offices and GP surgeries.

The Tory leader said a culture that knows the price of everything but the value of nothing has been spawned.

But Communities Secretary Hazel Blears described his claims as "opportunism".

Mr Cameron spoke out about what he described as "bureaucratic neatness" during a speech to the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

'Pointless reorganisations'

"For the last decade or so, in the name of modernisation, rationalisation and efficiency we have been living under a regime of government by management consultant and policy by PowerPoint," he said.

A regime - indeed a whole culture that it has spawned - which knows the price of everything and the value of nothing David Cameron Conservative leader

"The result has not been a contented, streamlined nation, humming with efficiency and gleaming with modernity.

"The result has been an explosion of bureaucracy, cost and irritation, endless upheavals and pointless reorganisations, the elbowing aside of colourful, human, informal relationships based on common sense and trust in favour of the grey, mechanical, joyless mantras of the master planner with his calculations, projections and impact assessments.

"The real world effect of all this? Post Office closures, library closures, police station closures, the closure of small shops, small schools and now GP surgeries under threat."

The outcome had been not just "socially destructive" but also "economically inefficient", undermining institutions that are the foundations of society and creating extra costs for the state to pick up.

"All this because we live under a regime that prizes bureaucratic neatness above all else," he said.

'Warm words'

"A regime - indeed a whole culture that it has spawned - which knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."

Under the Conservatives, a measure of social value would inform their policy making, Mr Cameron said.

"When making decisions, ministers will take account not just of economic efficiency, but also social efficiency.

"So with a Conservative government, the strengthening of society will be at the heart of government action."

But Ms Blears said: "David Cameron's warm words for local communities are pure political opportunism, because they are not backed up by policies to help local people.

"He is saying one thing to local communities but quite another back in Westminster."