Politics,government and company planning: The new perspective

This paper looks at the developing scene in the U.K., with gloom at home and turmoil overseas: and with a new government committed to non-intervention in industry; to exposure of labour and of products to market forces and to avoidance of detailed economic planning. It examines the reality of party stances over the general field of government/industry relations and over cuts in public expenditure in both central and local government.Finally it examines the role of the professional planner at times of maximum uncertainty: and concludes that given a clear mind and a cool head the planner may be a unique stabilising influence at the heart of the company's affairs.