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For too many birth and destiny are closely intertwined
Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg has said former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn will hold the coalition's "feet to the fire" over its progress on social mobility.
The deputy prime minister made the comments during a keynote speech on social mobility delivered in central London this morning.
Formally announcing Alan Milburn's appointment as an independent social mobility reviewer, Clegg praised the "enormous contribution" he made in his report for the last government on fair access to the professions.
"Each year for the whole of this parliamentary term, Alan will consider our success in delivering that strategy, as well as identifying other work that needs to be done, and assessing the contribution being made by business, the professions and civil society," he said.
Clegg had intended to announce Milburn's appointment during the speech, but as the news leaked out some days ago. His appointment has angered many within Labour, including the former deputy prime minister John Prescott who branded him a "collaborator".
In a letter written by Milburn to Clegg he said the goal of an open mobile society "where all have a fair chance to progress" was something that had motivated him all my adult life.
Accepting the role he added: "I see my role as independently reviewing how well government and other institutions are performing against what is inevitably a long-term agenda for social progress – and then reporting openly, with my annual report laid before Parliament to consider".
In the speech marking the coalition's first 100 days in office Clegg also revealed that the precise level of the 'pupil premium' will be announced in October as part of the comprehensive spending review.
The measure designed to channel greater investment to poorer children and schools was part of the Liberal Democrat general election manifesto.
He said the provision would help children "overcome the accidents of birth".
Defending the government's record so far, Clegg said that the government was about "much more than cuts".
"The coalition government's approach to politics and to policy making is moving beyond the short-termism that has disfigured politics in recent years," he said.
"Governing for the long term means recognising that the decisions of one generation profoundly influence the lives and life chances of the next
"There is nothing fair about simply saddling the next generation with the debts of this generation"
Clegg said he was particularly concerned about intergenerational social mobility, the extent to which a persons income or social class is influenced by their parents.
"Intergenerational social mobility speaks to most people's definition of fairness," he said. "Social mobility is the mark of a good society, the badge of fairness".
"Fairness means that no one is held back by the circumstances of their birth.
"For me, an important strand of liberal ethics is that opportunities are detached from origins.
He added: "For too many birth and destiny are closely intertwined".
And he attacked Labour's record on achieving social mobility while recognising that the previous government had "good intent".
"Labour, despite 13 years of government, billions of pounds of investment and a plethora of initiatives, schemes and credits, appears to have failed to move the needle on social mobility," he said.
Clegg said that in five years time, he wanted to be able to look back and say that the children born in 2015 were less constrained by the circumstances of their birth.
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