Labour and government contracts

It`s hardly rocket science but at least, it could be the start, and who knows where some joined-up thinking from the Labour party could land us? Not only your editorial (Who pays the price for our cheap goods, 13/10/13) with its mention of "levers such as procurement", but also Rachel Reeves, whose  admission that future government "contracts could be living-wage contracts", (Labour will be tougher than the Tories on benefits, pledges party`s new welfare chief, 13/10/13) show, at last, some attention to the allocation of government work. We`ve heard similar  from this government before, albeit with no action taken, and undoubtedly will again as the election approaches, so Labour needs to be prepared to go further. At least, no contracts either to tax evading and avoiding companies, or to those with inadequate and poorly funded apprentice schemes. What about companies who pay obscene amounts to CEOs, and those with ridiculous bonus schemes? Financial institutions which have been involved in mis-selling, money laundering and Libor fixing? You rightly say that all hopes for a "radical overhaul of rules" and "reshaping of capitalism" have long since died, but that is because we have been lumbered with a government, dominated by a party dependent on City funding, with no intention of doing anything which might reduce profit. If we continue to honour company chiefs who avoid paying the correct amount of tax themselves, or whose companies pay minimum amounts of corporate tax, how can we expect improvement, or a fair deal for their employees? A Labour party with bottle would promise to tackle the problem head on,and gain votes by doing so!