Happy New Year Dave - you've got what your class wants
However, you need to delve behind what he's saying. Basically, this is a global race and we need to keep up with other countries. These countries being China and India. However, our economies are completely different from these manufacturing countries. China's economy has been fueled by becoming the world's manufacturing centre - we gave this industry up some 20 years ago instead favouring an information driven economy. Granted, we produce more than we used to, but these things are now information based. However, China has based manufacturing on widgets (physical things) which has given them tremendous economic growth. How can we compete with this?
Other economists (http://cur.lv/e3xu) are also making predictions for what is to come this year - lower wages, longer hours driven by job insecurity. This has already been the trend in both the private and public sector. People have faced wage freezes, longer and worse working conditions and less job security. Unemployment is down, with people now having to take part-time jobs and become underemployed.
Perhaps Dave does think we are on the right direction to creating a better Britain - but who is it better for? Do we really want to compete with the Chinese in lower pay, conditions and less job security?