Policy@Manchester Articles

Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues

  • All Posts
  • UK Politics
  • Energy and Environment
  • Growth and Inclusion
  • Health and Social Care
  • Urban
  • Science and Engineering
Policy@Manchester Articles: Whitehall Watch
You are here: Home / Whitehall Watch / Manchester and Old and Sad – conspiracy or cock-up?

Manchester and Old and Sad – conspiracy or cock-up?

Colin Talbot By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted: January 13, 2011

The allegation is being widely circulated that Manchester City Council announced it’s 2,000 job losses today as a “spoiler” for the Old & Sad bye-election. Sadly, nothing so expertly Machiavellian has happened….

The Manchester Evening News got a leak about it yesterday (12th) and the City Council was forced to put a short, terse, statement in the wee-small-hours. Then they went to ground. Despite repeated requests from all the media – by this time national as well as local – no-one was available to comment. I know because I have spent the day in studios at at outside broadcasts doing what they wouldn’t. The Labour leadership of MCC could easily have gone on every available media outlet denouncing this as “Coalition imposed jobs cuts” and the unfairness of it all. Instead they chose to hide away in the Town Hall and claim they were “too busy”. Hardly the actions of people out to spoil the bye-election now is it? More cock-up than conspiracy I’m afraid.

About Colin Talbot

Colin Talbot is a Professor of Government, a former Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee and the Public Administration Select Committee and has appeared as expert witness many times in Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and NI Assembly. He's also advised Governments from the USA to Japan.

Our RSS feed

Receive our latest content and timely updates by subscribing to our RSS feed.

 Subscribe in your reader

More from this author

  • The UK after the Referendum: all that is solid melts into air…..
  • SR2015: £35bn on debt interest? But what about the £375bn held by the Bank of England?
  • SR2015: Spending: Is 36% of GDP still his target?

Become a Contributor

Would you like to write for us on a public policy issue? Read our Editorial Policy and then do get in touch to discuss your idea.

Disclaimer

Articles give the views of the author, and are not necessarily those of The University of Manchester.

Policy@Manchester

Manchester Policy Articles is an initiative from Policy@Manchester. Visit our web site to find out more

Contact Us

policy@manchester.ac.uk
t: +44 (0) 161 275 3038
The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK

Copyright © 2023 · Policy Blog 2 on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in