The answer to the question posed in the previous post: the BBC had got it wrong. The education white paper published today makes it clear there will be not legal enforcement available to parents: Continue reading “No legal rights to education entitlements – its official (and the Beeb was wrong)”
Month: June 2009
And Now Legal Muggles Too
This morning BBC Radio news is reporting that today’s Education White Paper will set legally enforceable rights. Either the Beeb has got it wrong, or this is the fastest U-turn in history – or maybe the Government is just in another muggle. Continue reading “And Now Legal Muggles Too”
Spending Review Muggles
Today I have heard several reporters on the BBC, not to mention various print journalists, getting over excited about the ‘gaff’ by Lord Mandelson ‘admitting’ there was not going to be a Spending Review this year, or this side of a General Election – shock, horror! Continue reading “Spending Review Muggles”
Building Britain’s Future II: the detail (well, some of it)
So, now we have the detail of the new “entitlements” approach – well, sort of. The government have published ‘Building Britain’s Future’ but frankly we’re not much more enlightened than we were before. Continue reading “Building Britain’s Future II: the detail (well, some of it)”
‘Building Britain’s Future’ or Forward to the Past?
A new Prime Minister takes over towards the end of a long period of his party being in power. He replaces a charismatic and controversial, but highly successful in electoral terms, predecessor. His government is becoming increasingly unpopular and an election is looming. What new policy wheeze can he come up with on public services to capture the public imagination? How about promising the public that public services will be made to set out exactly what standards of service they will offer and then giving the public rights to demand these standards are met? Continue reading “‘Building Britain’s Future’ or Forward to the Past?”
Parliament and Public Spending – interesting letter
I thought the following letter was an interesting addition to discussion about Parlaiment’s role in deciding budgets (see also my post on PF Blog) from former civil and public servant Des McConaghy. Continue reading “Parliament and Public Spending – interesting letter”
Revamped Public Finance site and blog
For those who are interested the UK weekly magazine Public Finance have just re-launched their website, including a new blogging facility to which I’m contributing original entries like this one about Speaker Bercow which are not posted here (Whitehall Watch).
PASC on Good Government
The Public Administration Select Committee today publishes its report (and evidence sessions) on Good Government.
I have reproduced the main recommendations below, their analysis is well worth reading.
Especially pleasing is that they have accepted my proposal (see section 5 of the Report) that the remit of the National Audit Office be expanded to something more like that of the General Accountability Office in the USA – and specifically it takes on a role assessing the performance of government Ministries and departments. Continue reading “PASC on Good Government”
Democracy Demands: Show Us The Money!
In the film Jerry Maguire, Cuba Gooding Jr. famously demands of his Agent Maguire (Tom Cruise) that he “show me the money”. The message (in context) is simple – no amount of smooth talking from his Agent is good enough – Gooding’s character wants to see the actual money. This is a good lesson to apply to the latest “debate” (I use the word loosely) over the future of public spending. Continue reading “Democracy Demands: Show Us The Money!”
POLICY-MAKING CAPABILITY IN UK GOVERNMENT – A CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY
Probably the most important role of Whitehall departments is giving policy advice to Ministers. It is therefore curious that policy-making did not figure directly in the Capability Reviews that central government departments have been going through in the past few years. Continue reading “POLICY-MAKING CAPABILITY IN UK GOVERNMENT – A CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY”
STATECRAFT - improving government 