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”
Tag: spending
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!”
Public Spending in the UK: Public Sector Debt
The debate on the future of the public finances and especially spending on public services has finally come to the fore after all the diversions of the past few months.
What are the crucial questions that we should demand of our politicians? Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to try to outline what are the crucial policy issues – starting with public sector debt. Continue reading “Public Spending in the UK: Public Sector Debt”
Universities and the Impact of the Recession
I recently attended a ‘professorial dinner’ at Manchester, the purpose of which was to discuss our future strategy. The main message at the start was – universities, after a decade of a relatively benign environment, face a decade or more of austerity. How are we placed to deal with this new reality and what should we do? Here’s my response. Continue reading “Universities and the Impact of the Recession”
Budget 09 – What Would the Tories Do?
While everyone focuses on the Governments plans as set out in Budget 09, let’s pause for a moment and consider the Tories options. Continue reading “Budget 09 – What Would the Tories Do?”
Efficiency savings urged to ease pain of cuts
from the FT – By Nicholas Timmins
Published: March 10 2009 00:39 | Last updated: March 10 2009 00:39 Continue reading “Efficiency savings urged to ease pain of cuts”
Rate your doctor on-line? – another Whitehall-centric initiative
Even when the Government claims to be ’empowering patients’ it manages to do it in a Whitehall-centric way. Continue reading “Rate your doctor on-line? – another Whitehall-centric initiative”
Modernising Government Mk II: ‘Working Together’
Back in 1999 ‘Modernising Government’ was finally published. After nearly two years gestation the general verdict was that it was indeed an elephant – huge, sprawling and ungainly. Everything including the kitchen-sink had been thrown into the lengthy, turgid and mind-numbingly boring document. Well, now we have Modernising Government II – or ‘Working Together: Public Services on Your Side’ (published on Tuesday 10 March 2009). Continue reading “Modernising Government Mk II: ‘Working Together’”
Hard Times for Public Services
Whoever is in power at Westminster, public services are facing hard times over the next few years. Continue reading “Hard Times for Public Services”
So What Would You Do?
In December I appeared as a witness before two Select Committees in the Westminster parliament: the Treasury Committee (TSC) which was responding to the government’s Pre-Budget Report; and the Public Administration Committee (PASC) which was investigating what standards of ‘good government’ might look like. Continue reading “So What Would You Do?”
RED TEAM 