Public services or corporate welfare

Rethinking the nation state in the global economy

Dexter Whitfield, Pluto, paperback, 336 pages, pst16.99

Dexter Whitfield has been running the Centre for Public Services for nearly 30 years and is probably the leading authority on the subject today. His book is not a light read but it is a well researched demolition of much that underpins the Blairite project. He demonstrates that, while the state facilitates globalisation, governments can still determine both national and global policies.

He provides convincing evidence for his criticism of the "third way" promoted by Tony Blair and shows that "best value" could result in far more extensive competitive tendering than the Tories introduced.

The most far-reaching chapter envisages the nation state in 2020 and links this with "redesigning the state" which examines the importance of public ownership.