Archbishop of Canterbury criticises coalition policies

The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned that the government is committing Britain to "radical, long-term policies for which no-one voted". Writing in the New Statesman magazine, Dr Rowan Williams raises concerns about the coalition's health, education and welfare reforms. He said there was "indignation" due to a lack of "proper public argument".

A Downing Street spokesman said: "This government was elected to tackle Britain's deep rooted problems."

"It's clear policies on health, welfare and the economy are necessary to ensure we are on the right track," he added.

Dr Williams says the Big Society idea is viewed with "widespread suspicion". The article was written for the latest edition of the New Statesman, which Dr Williams has guest edited. The magazine will go on sale on Thursday and 'Plain fear' Talking specifically about the government's key health and education policies, Dr Williams said they were being introduced at a "remarkable speed".

"At the very least, there is an understandable anxiety about what democracy means in such a context," he said.

"Government badly needs to hear just how much plain fear there is around such questions at present."

In a wide-ranging attack, he accuses the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition of creating "anxiety and anger" in the country by introducing reforms without sufficient debate.

Dr Williams is critical of Prime Minister David Cameron's flagship Big Society initiative, which aims to shrink the state and hand more control of services to volunteer groups, describing it as a "stale" slogan which is viewed as an "opportunistic" cover for spending cuts.

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, the archbishop's article says there is concern that the Government will abandon its responsibility for tackling child poverty, illiteracy, and increasing access to the best schools.

"Government badly needs to hear just how much plain fear there is around questions such as these at present," he is quoted as saying.

He also criticises the government's welfare reforms, complaining of a "quiet resurgence of the seductive language of "deserving" and "undeserving" poor".

'Important figure'

According to the Telegraph, he says there is pressure to increase "what look like punitive responses to alleged abuses of the system".

The BBC's religious affairs correspondent, Robert Pigott, says this is by no means the archbishop's first attack on government policy, but it is extraordinary for its breadth and it is the most overtly political yet.

"Dr Williams even questioned the coalition's use of its democratic mandate, claiming that no-one had voted for its radical reforms to health and education, and that they were being forced through without 'proper public argument'," he said.

In addition to writing the leading article, Dr Williams also commissioned a wide range of essays, articles and reports from contributors such as author Philip Pullman, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks.

Downing Street dismissed Dr Williams' criticism of the Big Society as "a cover for cuts."

A Downing Street spokesman said the prime minister had supported the idea of a Big Society long before the financial crisis and the need for significant savings.

Pressed over the significance of Dr Williams' comments the Downing Street spokesman said "he's obviously an important figure in British society".