The NHS which has seen its productivity collapse, and is facing enormous cost pressures as the population ages, must surely be first in line for the application of the tools as they emerge.
A remarkable amount has been achieved. Often against the odds and in the face of adversity. And certainly in circumstances far less benign than those faced by New Labour.
The system is all but designed to subsidise low wages, disincentivise productivity, and give retirees no stake in the UK maintaining a thriving, dynamic economy.
The latest report from Centre for Cities highlights how an impressive record on employment has been undermined by poor productivity, stagnant wages, and the rising cost of housing.
The longer Number Ten fails to declare, the more cheerfully Labour will pile in – preparing to frame the Prime Minister as a bottler if he waits until after the Budget to rule out a May poll.
Moreover, how to do so without confronting any hard trade-offs or admitting any fundamental shortcomings with the UK’s economic model after 13 years of the party being in government.
My hunch is the next generation of aspiring leaders will have a firmer grip on the meaning of conservatism than the current crop. Or, at least, I hope so — otherwise there might not be a party to lead.
We don’t want our children to grow up in a stultified, caste society where the only way to wealth and opportunity is to inherit it from parents.
The ninth part of our series on reducing demand for government, in which we set out a programme for change – focused on families, civil society and government.
It is a generation since Margaret Thatcher abandoned Neo-Keynesian thinking, set her face firmly against prices and income policies, and made it clear that the key to tackling inflation was curbing the growth in money.
The twenty-sixth article in a new series on ConHome about how government might be made smaller, taxpayers better off and and society stronger – through strong families, better schools and good jobs.
At last night’s Onward event, Damian Green claimed David Cameron’s “tens of thousands” pledge had been a political success. What decade has he been living through?
It is becoming increasingly obvious that mass immigration is not the economic silver bullet the Treasury believe it is.
This is the essence of the Prime Minister’s message to the nation. He is speaking the truth, even if the country is unlikely to be grateful to hear it.
Increasing the taxes on companies that use immigrant labour and charging migrants more for accessing the NHS would reduce low-wage migration, address one of the voters’ major concerns, and provide funding for tax cuts.