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# Government as a business
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/government-as-a-business/
- Published: 2008-01-07T13:01:43.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:38:58.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:31

**Anthony Barnett (London,** [**OK**](http://ourkingdom.opendemocracy.net/?ref=opendemocracy.net)**):** This morning on the Today programme, Lin Homer, who is Chief Executive of the Home Office's[ Border and Immigration Agency ](http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/?ref=opendemocracy.net)referred initially to her agency as a "service" and then, three times referred to it as a "business" and herself as its "boss". You can hear it at the end of the packet [here](http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/ram/today3%5Fimmigration%5F20080107.ram?ref=opendemocracy.net). In principle I support the creation of executive agencies where the person running it takes responsibility for their executive actions and does not hide away like a civil servant unable to speak in public. But this does not, and should not, mean the liquidation of a public service ethos. The shift of language here is very dangerous for democracy, see Mike Rustin's [recent post](http://ourkingdom.opendemocracy.net/2007/12/20/polly-toynbees-state-and-new-labours-reality/?ref=opendemocracy.net).