WIREDGOV

There have been a number of attempts over recent years for governments to boost economic growth - or act to prevent or mitigate recession.

The last attempt was the Mandelson-Brown attempt to use "industrial activism" to mitigate the effects of the global financial crisis.  That ended in much frustration.  Former special adviser to Gordon Brown, Nick Butler, sets out the reasons he thinks that failed - because the mantra that government should not pick winners was so ingrained into policy makers. 

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