Category Archives: Public Services

Delivering public service reform: is it now or never?

The Blairite centre-left think tank Policy Network has produced a rather interesting policy paper which should be a wake-up call for the Conservative leadership. Called “In the black Labour – Why fiscal conservatism and social justice go hand in hand” … Continue reading

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Frances Maude’s message to Whitehall: stop being “unnecessarily unique”

Last night Policy Exchange asked the question: “Is it time for a slimmed down Civil Service?” The Minister of State for the Cabinet Office replied that this was the easiest question he had ever been asked. Francis Maude was very … Continue reading

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A mixed market triumph for public service provision

This week, private company Circle Healthcare won a 10 year contract worth £10bn to run the financially troubled Hichingbrooke hospital in Huntington, Cambridgeshire. Plenty of individual NHS services are already delivered by independent providers but this is the first time … Continue reading

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The politically Conservative case for employee ownership

Before the election one of the big policy gambits made by the Prime Minister was to drive throw the mutualisation of public services and to champion co-operatives. The Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, set up a special unit … Continue reading

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In defence of Human Rights

The recent spat regarding the Human Rights Act, suggests the resurgence of a worrying trend – the use of myth to attack our human rights protection.  Senior judges have confirmed that the cat of ‘catgate’ fame was simply one detail … Continue reading

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