Radical proposals that will create a legal obligation on all public bodies to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor form part of new equality plans unveiled by the government yesterday.
The plans, contained in a white paper of draft legislation for consultation, were published as Gordon Brown said he was committed to giving everyone the opportunity to "achieve their potential".
The Prime Minister announced a series of measures to increase social mobility in the UK but the draft paper that would make councils and public bodies actively consider how they can close the wealth gap in Britain could go much further.
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The proposals are championed by Harriet Harman, Equalities Minister and deputy Labour leader, who has won the battle to have the measure included in the white paper. A single catch-all paragraph, described as "socialism in one clause" by commentators, could be inserted into the forthcoming Equalities Bill.
The bill will be UK-wide but there will be consultation with devolved administrations and assemblies as to how its measures would work in their areas of responsibility.
"In principle it will apply in Scotland but there will be proper consultations with all stakeholders and devolved administrations," said a Cabinet Office spokeswoman.
Mr Brown brought back former Blairite rival Alan Milburn to chair a new social mobility commission that will try to get more people from poor backgrounds into professions dominated by the middle- class and privately educated. Joining Mr Milburn will be 32-year-old Glasgow-born entrepreneur Azeem Ibrahim, who was brought up in a council house in the city and is now worth an estimated £60m.
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