Would Michael Gove’s policies be an evidence-free zone?
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Version 0 of 1. Successive UK governments have taken some pride in the mantra “what matters is what works”. Now Michael Gove asserts that people have had enough of experts (Report, 4 June). So, on yet another matter the leave campaign are flushed out. If Gove has his way, presumably public policy will become an evidence-free zone, discounting relevant economic, social or scientific knowledge and understanding (some would say following the precedent of many of his own education reforms). In that respect, the analogy with “Trumpism” in the US is perfectly fair. If the leave campaign beguiles enough of the electorate, it will, on Gove’s own admission, herald a new “dark age” of ill-informed and unenlightened policymaking.Chris PainterEmeritus professor, public policy and management, Stourbridge • When the referendum dust has settled and prime minister Johnson asks chancellor Gove to set a budget, presumably neither of them will pay any attention to the opinions of the Treasury, the Bank of England or the OBR on the economy. Almost worth voting for Brexit just to see them pull that off.John NashChild Okeford, Dorset • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |