Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
One of the things that distinguishes top Universities around the world is that, certainly in democracies, they are usually power-houses of public policy ideas. True, in recent years in some countries Universities have been squeezed out by (sometimes very well funded) Think Tanks and governments that regarded ‘liberal’ or ‘leftie’ academics as more of a […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: All posts Posted:
This book looks at what makes ideas “stick” – why some ideas spread easily whilst others don’t. Being able to communicate effectively has become increasingly important for public managers in democratic states. “A medium-sized ‘butter’ popcorn at a typical neighborhood movie theatre contains more artery-clogging fat than a bacon-and-eggs breakfast, a Big Mac and fries lunch, and […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Please share The Equality Trust and the University of York are looking for a Researcher to take a leading role in an exciting new project: Discussing Inequality – materials for the classroom and beyond.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
An interesting piece by UNISON local government leader Heather Wakefield raises an obvious contradiction in Coalition Government policy.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
“The Centre for Economics and Business Research says that if bank holidays were scrapped, Britain’s GDP would be £19bn higher every year.” (BBC website)
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Just 15 months ago I spelt out in an article for Public Finance how much of strain trying to stick to Cabinet ‘collective responsibility’ would put on the Coalition government. I suggested that the Coalition would have to come up with some way of ‘agreeing to disagree’ as coalition governments elsewhere in Europe manage to […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Whitehall Watch today passed a milestone – over 100,000 hits.
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Dear Readers, Some of you may know that I have been exploring ideas about why humans seem so contradictory for many years. I even wrote a short, not very successful, book about it (The Paradoxical Primate 2004). I have decided to have another go, with some new and some old ideas. Because this isn’t directly about […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Yesterday I got an email from BT, once again extolling the virtues of BT Infinity* and inviting me to sign up. As I am a BT customer – which is why they had my email – it wouldn’t have been too difficult to check that BT Infinity is not available where I live. (*For those […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Unlike the historical HMS Titanic, NHS Titanic cannot be sunk, at least not easily and not in a hurry. That is the realistic view of what will happen now the Health and Social Care Bill becomes an Act.