The Green Affair and the Proper Conduct of Opposition

New readers start here: Damian Green, a Conservative opposition spokesperson on immigration had his parliamentary and other offices raided by police investigating the leaking of secret information from the Home Office. Continue reading “The Green Affair and the Proper Conduct of Opposition” →

Are spending cuts back? Deliberative poll results…

An intriguing new poll from PoliticsHome suggest an important shift in public attitudes on “tax and spend” issues.

“The results of this special deliberative study, involving a balanced group of over 1,400 people, point to a new landscape of public opinion on issues of tax and spend. Continue reading “Are spending cuts back? Deliberative poll results…” →

With Finance Disgraced, Which Career Will Be King?

By STEVE LOHR New York Times
Published: April 12, 2009
Public service, government, the sciences and even teaching look to be winners, while fewer shiny, young minds are embarking on careers in finance and business consulting. READ IT

Acid test for reform of public services looms

by Nicholas Timmins, Financial Times, April 16 2009

For the better part of a decade, Labour ministers have been promising a “transformation” in public services – one that would ensure Britain’s health and education systems could bear comparison with the world’s best. READ IT

 

Fair Access to the Professions – Not Yet

A new study commissioned by the British government shows that far from “fair access” improving within the high-status professions, people from lower social strata our now even less likely to make it into these jobs. This is despite the massive expansion in higher educational opportunities in recent decades. Continue reading “Fair Access to the Professions – Not Yet” →

Quality Performance Data – for the NHS and everyone else too?

A new Audit Commission report published today assesses progress in improving data quality – especially performance data – in the NHS. It reports on-going problems with embedding a culture of good data quality into NHS organisations. Continue reading “Quality Performance Data – for the NHS and everyone else too?” →

Big is Beautiful in “Local” Government?

This week 43 English local government bodies were merged into just nine much larger local governments. Whilst most commentators have concentrated on the implications for local democracy, which are important, they have missed the bigger picture. Continue reading “Big is Beautiful in “Local” Government?” →

The Spirit Level – Wilkinson and Pickett

A new book has been causing a bit of a stir in policy circles in the UK – ‘The Spirit Level’ is not another diatribe for or against God, as the name might suggest, but a book about equality.

The main message is fairly simple – affluent societies tend to suffer social ills like mental health problems, drug use, physical health, obesity, educational problems, teenage births, violence and crime in direction correlation to how equal or unequal they are. And people are unhappier too. Once you get above about $25,000 per capita GDP, the relationship between rising affluence and rising welfare disappears and is replaced by equality rather than affluence. Continue reading “The Spirit Level – Wilkinson and Pickett” →

The Art of Public Strategy – Geoff Mulgan

Geoff Mulgan’s new book on ‘The Art of Public Strategy’ is an riveting read, fizzing with insights and ideas.

Mulgan played a big role in the Blair government, as a policy adviser and Head of the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. He also has a strong history as a think-tanker and author, so his writing is full of insider anecdote, big ideas and shows a remarkably broad sweep. Having said all that is has several faults. Continue reading “The Art of Public Strategy – Geoff Mulgan” →