If a minority Tory or Con-Lib dem government comes to power next week the worst possible thing they could do is deploy the infamous “it’s worse than we thought” ploy. Continue reading “Please don’t deploy the “its worse than we thought” ploy”
Author: Prof. Colin R Talbot
Professor of Government (Emeritus), University of Manchester
Visiting Fellow, University of Cambridge Judge Business School
They all lost, but we could all win.
Labour has clearly lost, but the Tories also clearly did not win either, however much they want to pretend otherwise. The verdict of the electors is that they do not want one-party rule anymore. The issue is not whether we have a smash and grab Tory government or a clinging on Labour one, but what Coalition Government will form? Continue reading “They all lost, but we could all win.”
Bumped by a Volcano
Things have been rather hectic over the past couple of weeks and I’ve done so many media things I’ve not had time to keep this page up to date. Until the Election is over that’s likely to continue to be the case.
But one amusing story – I got “bumped” by a volcano last week! I was literally in a cab on the way to a BBC studio to do an interview on the BBC TV News channel when I got a call saying the Icelandic volcano had squeezed everything else and they were cancelling. I’m not sure whether this is funnier, or not, than having an interview with Evan Davies on the Today programme cut short by their producers decision to insert an item about a talking teddy bear which supposedly said something controversial. The perils of what (usually jealous) American academics call being a “media tart”. Oh well.
EURONET News
An appearance on EURONET News (European radio station) – about 17 mins into this broadcast (5th May 2010) talking about the Election
see this comment on what I have been saying about efficiency, about parallels with the USA, on our (MBS) online site ‘Transforming Management’
My appearance on the BBC R4 Today programme on April 9th 2010
Whoever you vote for, the Government will get in
The old anarchist slogan (above) always had a grain of truth in it – especially in Britain where our permanent civil service is very permanent indeed. As “Yes, Minister” so brilliantly satirised, Ministers come and go, but Sir Humphrey remains, immovable, unflappable and very much in charge – or at least a powerful force in shaping what governments actually do once in office. Continue reading “Whoever you vote for, the Government will get in”
Election Uncovered: What They Won’t Tell Us (Channel 4)
Channel 4 did a reasonable job of exploring some of the issues that the election campaign and leaders debates have failed to tackle adequately (although I am biased ‘cos I was on the panel). Continue reading “Election Uncovered: What They Won’t Tell Us (Channel 4)”
A good election to lose? – glad you caught up Mervyn
Mervyn King – Governor of the Bank of England – has reportedly said that this would be a good election to lose. Glad to see he’s caught up – I first said this in a column for Public Finance in February 2009 entitled ‘Losing is the new winning’. What is surprising is it has taken this idea so long to surface.
Leaders Last Chance – and Cameron blew it
Both Brown and Clegg have done well in the debate tonight on the public finances and the economy. Brown demonstrated his mastery and experience of the global economic issues whilst Clegg played his ‘anti-politics’ card well (although it is getting a little tired) and his ‘fairness’ pitch was well presented. Clegg is clearly the master of the TV debate format. Continue reading “Leaders Last Chance – and Cameron blew it”
Lib Dems efficiency savings from local government inspection really means cutting £645m from LG budgets
I posted (below) some time ago on the mysterious £860m (rising to £905bn in four years) they could “save” from the audit and inspection of local government. As the entire budget of the Audit Commission – the main body involved – is only just over £200m how could they save four times this amount? Continue reading “Lib Dems efficiency savings from local government inspection really means cutting £645m from LG budgets”
Denial about taxes and cuts and half-truths about efficiency – what an election
With the FT and IFS reports this week it is abundantly clear now to everyone what some of us have been saying for ages – this election is being fought with a big void where the truth about the public finances and spending cuts ought to be. But if what they are telling us about efficiency is anything to go by, we might not be much better off if they did start talking about “the cuts”. Continue reading “Denial about taxes and cuts and half-truths about efficiency – what an election”
Colin Talbot - my blog 