Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
The idea of a hung parliament is now not only possible but is slipping into being acceptable, at least to some. So far up the agenda has it leapt that the new, more positive, term ‘balanced parliament’ is creeping into widespread use.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
I’ve already hinted at this in a previous post, and I’ve been saying it privately for several weeks: it wouldn’t be a completely wild bet on Alan Johnson being the next Prime Minister.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
The CIPD has estimated that up to half a million public sector jobs could go within the next 5 years, whoever wins the next Election. Is this realistic and how does it sit in historic trends?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Our first ever Prime Miniserial TV debate is over and my instant verdict is: (1) Nick Clegg, (2) David Cameron, (3) Gordon Brown. So David Cameron effectively lost, because he should have won.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
The Liberal Democrats are making a great deal of how honest, detailed and clear they are being about the needs for ‘tough choices’ in public spending. And by and large they do seem to be, but there are some areas where spin seems to have gotten the better of them.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Plan for public to take control of public services will not guarantee savings and could inflame social division, say critics – Guardian BTW – before Charles Moore bursts another blood vessel I should point out I was on BBC R4’s The World Tonight (12/04/2010) criticising the Labour Manifesto’s commitments on public sector organisations.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
My comments on the Tories efficiency claims have clearly hit a nerve. The Conservative fundamentalist commentator Charles Moore lashed out in the Daily Telegraph: “The BBC quickly found a man called Professor Colin Talbot, represented as an impartial expert but, in fact, a critic of the Conservatives (study his own website attacks on free markets, […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Today David Cameron has been saying all day that the Tories efficiency savings amount to asking the government to save ‘£1 in every £100 that it spends’ and this is obviously ‘do-able’. On one level this is true, but only:
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
The Election campaign was almost completely dominated by efficiency issues yesterday, as Labour tried to dis the Tories plans to pay for not raising NIC by even more “savings”. As a result, I ended up doing radio, TV, and several newspaper interviews. So what did I say? In short, don’t believe any government or opposition […]