Chers amis,
Alors que je me demande si la France ne tombe pas dans la barbarie avec la mort d'une jeune chinoise qui s'est défenestrée, je vous invite à lire le discours exceptionnel du
Premier Ministre britannique Gordon Brown à la conférence annuel du Labour à Bournemouth (la ville de Cadbury...).
J'en ai mis un extrait ci-dessous ainsi que le lien vers le discours complet.
Les Britanniques ont saisi toute l'importance des changements nécessaires dans le nouveau contexte international.
Ces mots sont d'une telle pertinence parce qu'ils ne resteront pas que des mots :
"Yet this is the century where our country cannot afford to waste the talents of anyone. Up against the competition of two billion people in China and India, we need to unlock all the talent
we have. In the last century the question was can we afford to do this? In the face of economic challenge, I say: in this century we cannot afford not to. And the country that brings out the best
in all its people will be the great success story of the global age."
Ce qui est marquant, c'est que l'on sait que ce qui est dit va être fait ou du moins toujours tenté. Ce qui est effrayant, c'est que la France avec une grande partie des pseudo-élites
totalement déconnectée du monde réel semble se trouver à des années lumières ne serait-ce que du constat fait par les Britanniques...Alors ne comparons même pas en termes d'actions
concrètes...
En dépit des efforts certains, parfois maladroits à l'international notamment, de Nicolas Sarkozy pour redynamiser le pays et son pari dans un choc de confiance, la France ne s'est toujours
pas réveillée. Elle dort même encore très profondément. Espérons simplement qu'il ne s'agit pas d'un dernier coma.
Seul le renouvellement complet de notre élite et la création d'un nouveau système de recrutement de celle-ci permettra à la France de réellement s'adapter au monde.
Mais ceux qui bloquent le pays ne lâcheront jamais leur position enviable mais si destructrice. Que faire alors?
Je dirai juste au Président actuel qu'être élu et gouverner pour les vieux et ceux qui sont en place ne vous amènera rien au final. Seuls ceux qui ont avec eux les nouvelles générations et ceux qui
seront un jour en place et qui sont bloqués aujourd'hui marquent l'histoire. Parce que votre histoire, c'est nous qui la ferons...
Bien à vous,
Christophe Dorigné-Thomson
"I stand for a Britain where everyone should rise as far as their talents can take them and then the talents of each of us should contribute to the well being of all.
I stand for a Britain where all families who work hard can build a better life for themselves and their children.
I stand for a Britain where every young person who has it in them to study at college or university should not be prevented by money from doing so.
I stand for a Britain where public services exist for the patient, the pupil, the people who are to be served.
I stand for a Britain where it is a mark of citizenship that you should learn our language and traditions.
I stand for a Britain where we expect responsibility at every level of society.
I stand for a Britain that defends its citizens and both punishes crime and prevents it by dealing with the root causes.
I stand for a Britain where because this earth is on loan to us from future generations, we must all be stewards of the environment.
So I stand for a Britain where we all have obligations to each other and by fulfilling them, everyone has the chance to make the most of themselves.
And these are the principles which I believe can guide us as we, the British people, meet all the new challenges ahead: global economic competition, the terrorist and security threat, climate
change, the yearning for stronger communities, the pressures to balance work and family life, and most of all - something you can hear and sense in every part of the country - the rising
aspirations of the British people.
Our purpose has always been to be the party of progressive change.
Once our struggle was to secure minimum standards, then to extend opportunity.
But we need to be honest: today the rising aspirations of the British people summon us to set a new direction.
As the world changes so we must change too.
And I believe that when you get something right, you build on it. But part of experience and judgement is to recognise that when you fall short, you listen, you learn and then you are confident
enough to change.
In Britain today too many still cannot rise as far as their talents can take them.
Yet this is the century where our country cannot afford to waste the talents of anyone.
Up against the competition of two billion people in China and India, we need to unlock all the talent we have.
In the last century the question was can we afford to do this?
In the face of economic challenge, I say: in this century we cannot afford not to.
And the country that brings out the best in all its people will be the great success story of the global age.
Now think of the communities from where we have travelled here to Bournemouth. How many young people - young boys in particular - fail to develop the potential they have?
How many women still come up against a glass ceiling that blocks their advance?
How many men and women who hope to move up the ladder in mid career are deprived of the chance to upgrade their skills and jobs?
How much talent that could flourish is lost through a poverty of aspiration: wasted not because young talents fail to reach the stars but because they grow up with no stars to reach for?
And how many of our youngest children are still deprived of the early learning they need.
Why should we accept so many children destined to fail even before their life’s journey has begun?
So this is the next chapter in our progress. The next stage of our country’s long journey to build the strong and fair society.
I want a Britain where there is no longer any ceiling on where your talents and hard work can take you.
Where what counts is not what where you come from and who you know, but what you aspire to and have it in yourself to become.
Past generations unlocked just some of the talents of some of the people.
In the new Britain of this generation, we must unlock all the talents of all of the people.
Not the old equality of outcome that discounts hard work and effort.
Not the old version of equality of opportunity – the rise of an exclusive meritocracy where only some can succeed and others are forever condemned to fail.
But a genuinely meritocratic Britain, a Britain of all the talents.
Where all are encouraged to aim high.
And all by their effort can rise.
A Britain of aspiration and also a Britain of mutual obligation where all play our part and recognise the duties we owe to each other.
New Labour: now the party of aspiration and community. Not just occupying but shaping and expanding the centre ground. A strong Britain; a fairer Britain.
Putting people and their potential first.
You know, there was another day in the past few months, one that did not make the news.
It was a day I went to Hackney to Lauriston Primary School where I met a six year old boy called Max.
We walked through the library and then the classrooms. He sat with his teacher, Eddie O’Brien, and me.
He had a book in his hand and his hair was a little uncombed - which as far as I am concerned may be a good sign.
Max had been falling behind at school, struggling to read. But because of the ‘Every Child a Reader’ programme, he was now receiving one to one coaching, and he wanted to read us a story.
He did brilliantly as he read from a gripping narrative about “The Gingerbread Man” and he smiled as he finished.
In that classroom our mission for change was as clear and strong as the words being read by Max.
What he was really telling us is that every child has potential if given the chance.
Today in education, private schools offer one to one tuition. But why shouldn’t all pupils and not just some benefit from extra personal help?
And because I want every child to be a reader, every child to be able to count, we have decided that one-to-one tuition will be there in our schools not just for Max, but for 300,000 children in
English and 300,000 in maths.
And because we want to unlock all the potential, not just the three R’s, for every pupil as we look ahead with pride to the Olympics we aim for the first time for five hours a week sport and time
for arts and music too.
So whenever we see talent under-developed; aspirations unfulfilled; potential wasted; obstacles to be removed; this is where we – new Labour - will be.
Hear me when I say: No matter where you come from. No matter your background. No matter what school you go to. My message, our message, is and must be: if you try hard, we will help you make the
most of your talents."
Retrouvez l'intégralité du discours de Bournemouth :
http://www.labour.org.uk/conference/brown_speech
