The buildings which will all be linked include Grade 1 listed Ripley House and Admiralty Arch Grade 2 listed Old Admiralty

The buildings, which will all be linked, include Grade 1 listed Ripley House and Admiralty Arch, Grade 2 listed Old Admiralty House, Kirkland House – once owned by Glyn Mills Bank – and the Holl building.The work is currently going through a consultation process with Westminster Council and English Heritage. However, secret renovation work on Admiralty Arch has already begun to provide hi-tech offices for senior civil servants and ministers. The move will also allow room for the “Prime Minister’s” units to expand within 70 Whitehall which is connected directly to Downing Street. The whole complex will not be completed until 2002 but Downing Street sources claim the project is essential if Labour is to fulfil its pledge of providing “joined-up government”.Andrew Lansley, shadow Cabinet Office minister, said it was evident that the department had been annexed by Downing Street.Lansley said: “The Cabinet Office’s historic role is to serve the Government’s cabinet committees. Civil servants now complain to me that they feel the Cabinet Office has become Labour territory.”He added: “It is clear that Blair diminished the collective nature of the Cabinet in order to operate a chief executive-style decision making process. That means he needs a Government HQ, and it looks like the Cabinet office is it.”A Cabinet Office spokesman denied the de facto creation of a prime minister’s department. He said: “This is just a consolidation and recognition that the Cabinet Office has grown since 1997, needs more space and would be more efficient if it was all on one site.”.

The countdown to the next general election – the first of the 21st century – has already begun. Labour opened its campaign on Friday when the Cabinet gathered for a specially convened meeting at Chequers to debate its battle plan. The countdown to the next general election – the first of the 21st century – has already begun. Labour opened its campaign on Friday when the Cabinet gathered for a specially convened meeting at Chequers to debate its battle plan.
So what will the next manifesto say? Tony Blair’s historic victory in May 1997 followed clear-cut promises on health, education, crime, jobs and tax outlined in the famous Labour pledge card.

The next election, however, is likely to see the Blair government not only fight on its record but also attempt to define the Britain it wants to see emerging in the early years of this century. And like many prime ministers before him – from Harold Wilson and his white heat of technology to John Major’s ill-fated back to basics – Mr Blair is keen to offer the country “the big idea”.So what could entice both Middle England, the home of Worcester Woman and Mondeo Man, and the traditional Labour heartlands? There was a news blackout imposed on Friday’s gathering at Chequers, but ideas are known to have been canvassed from think-tanks and other organisations that Downing Street respects.We’ve sounded out those groups about their ideas. Below we give you a taste of just what they think should be on Blair’s big ideas agenda.TAP OUR CREATIVITYTOM BENTLEY: Director, DemosIf there is to be one central idea then it should be creativity, pure and simple. If the Labour government wants the UK to become a model society, it has to make sure its creative potential is developed fully.It needs to start in the schools, where there must be radical reform of the curriculum with children taught a wider range of skills – including better problem-solving techniques – the encouragement of teamwork and assessment by performance.That means opening up the schools to a range of partnerships so that businesses, local government and voluntary organisations are fully involved Their knowledge needs to be transmitted to young people. If we assume that education in some form should continue until at least the age of 19, some young people should be able to leave school at 14 and still be educated elsewhere through packages of learning.A FAIR DEAL FOR THE ELDERLY JULIET MOUNTFORD: Head of research and policy development, Family Policy Studies CentreWe’re reeling from all the changes this government has been talking about. Now we need some consolidation.The whole issue of family stability needs to be tackled; 150,000 people get divorced every year and there is the issue of retaining the notion of blame in divorce.

Parents should have more time to consider the issues resulting from the impact of divorce.Then there is long-term care for the elderly. The Royal Commission gave a very strong steer and the Department of Health has said there will be guidance in the summer, but will there really be a strong answer? The commission favoured individuals not being charged for their care, and that it should be free The Government made a lightweight response. We have not yet seen the detailed legislative programme that is needed.LESS SECRECY, MORE CHOICESHEILA MCKECHNIE: Director, Consumers’ AssociationChoice is the most important issue. If we are going to be truly competitive, the markets need to be driven by effective consumers. That requires a whole new approach to freedom of information We need less secrecy, more transparency. In areas like the utilities, we need to see the price structure so that consumers can see what they are paying for. That means a radical approach to the markets.People are not always able to make well-informed choices.

We need to close the knowledge gap between business and the consumer, between the professions and the consumer.Young people won’t have choice, either, unless they are better educated. We all have far more information at our fingertips through the internet, yet unless we are better educated we cannot distinguish between what is helpful and what is nonsense.QUALITY NOT QUANTITYJOHN BLUNDELL: Director, Institute of Economic AffairsLabour’s problem has been that it has spread itself too thinly It should tackle fewer things, not take on more Better to do 10 things well than 15 fairly well. If I was Tony Blair I’d be kicking myself that I hadn’t tackled three key things instead of 27 changes to the constitution.It’s time to involve the private sector far more in health and education That doesn’t necessarily mean business. It could mean non-profit-making organisations in the voluntary sector. They could help transform schools with incentives and proper budgets.FOR THE MANY NOT THE FEWADRIAN HARVEY: Research director, Fabian SocietyRedistribution is a dirty word for some; ministers tend to avoid it, but it should be the key issue for any government that is for the many not the few.