Looking for substance behind the soundbite

摘要

Back in June,The Engineer welcomed the fact that Lord Mandelson was running the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with responsibility for steering engineering and technology towards a better future. That welcome came on the basis that, love him or loathe him, Mandelson arguably has more clout in the Labour government than anyone - as much, if not more than the PM himself if some are to be believed.rnWhatever you think of the government's record over the last 12 years, it would be hard to accuse the current secretary of state of failing talk up the engineering and technology-based economy in 2009. His current soundbite of choice - less financial engineering, more real engineering' - is well on the way to entering the New Labour all-time top 10 alongside such stalwarts as 'tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime' and 'no return to boom and bust'.