Bel is thinking

Over at ConservativeHome, a very interesting report on the bloated public sector. This 145 page document, entitled ‘The Machinery of Government (And How To Reform It)’ exposes the true level of waste. Not only that, it examines the root causes of the problem and gives recommendations for reform. The author, William Norton, worked for the James Review, so he knows what he is talking about. I will read the document in full, and give my views both here and at ConservativeHome.

An interesting story in the Telegraph. Merseyside police employed statisticians to produce a list of its most prolific criminals, as well as the crimes they are most likely to commit. The report showed that some crimes are more likely to be committed by people with particular names. All very well, I think. It’s always good to see a police force occupying itself with the prevention and detection of crime. Goodness knows that doesn’t happen enough these days.

Somehow, the report leaked. The Telegraph reports that:

“the area’s top 10 bad boys are named, in order, James, Michael, John, Paul, Stephen, Anthony, David, Thomas, Lee and Christopher.

Women most likely to find themselves in the cells are those called Lisa, Paula, Samantha, Natalie, Emma, Nadine, Sarah, Claire, Gaynor and Kelly.”

I am finding the events of the last few days wonderfully hilarious.

I know, I should be thinking of the nation, and how this crisis engulfing the Labour Party is bad for the country. I should be making the point here that this is a far more serious matter than party politics.

Maybe another day.

For today, though, I am having the time of my life. In particular, I have had much mirth over this article over at The Devil’s Kitchen. Am I glad to be a Tory in 2006.

If there is a leadership contest after Tony Blair goes, the winner will be chosen by Labour party MPs, members and the unions. Blair’s successor is most likely to be Gordon Brown. He obviously has no problem entering 10 Downing Street by the back door. He should, however, remember that the British public gave Tony Blair’s government a mandate for a full third term. I hope he will have the decency, if not the courage, to call a snap General Election. That would be the only way to gain legitimacy for his Government.

First sentence in Tom Watson’s letter of resignation to Tony Blair.

‘The Labour Party has been my life since I was 15 years old.’

Really? I shudder.

Today we are greeted with the side-splitting news of a memo drafted by Tony Blair’s advisers setting out his exit plans. Part of his whirlwind farewell tour will include jolly japes with the Blue Peter crew and some pious posturing on Songs of Praise. Thanks to Iain Dale typing up the memo, I am now up to speed with Our Dear Leader’s exit plans.

Yet again, I have cause to marvel at the shamelessness and total lack of self-awareness of Blair and his people.

Two sentences stand out for me:

“He needs to go with the crowds wanting more. He should be the star who won’t even play that last encore.”

Not bloody likely now, this scenario. Not when we have former lackeys like Chris Bryant calling for his departure.

Then, of course, there is the classic line:

“His genuine legacy is not the delivery, important though that is, but the dominance of New Labour ideas … the triumph of Blairism.”

One sentence that properly encapsulates everything we know about this shabby, discredited Government and its charlatan leader.

Janet Daley in the Telegraph writing about the unfairness of inheritance tax.

She highlights the story of the two sisters in their 80s, who are suing the Government for unfair discrimination. Had they been lesbians in a civil partnership, they would have been able to leave their assets to each other, free of inheritance tax. However, because they are sisters, the surviving sister will face an inheritance tax bill of 40 per cent on anything above the exemption threshold.

This story has been covered elsewhere, so I won’t repeat the clear arguments in favour of abolishing this iniquitous tax.

Voices are being raised everywhere on the subject of tax. In the past week, we have had no fewer than five news stories on tax, specifically tax cuts. We are suffering under the increasing tax burden, and the Government has clamped its hands over its ears. Not surprising. This Government does not listen. We know that.

But what about the Opposition? George Osborne has spoken about abolishing stamp duty on shares and raising more green taxes to compensate for a cut in direct taxes. We know that policy detail is still some way off in the future, but could we at least get some reassurance that they have heard the cries of the British people. We need someone to give us hope that this burden will be lightened considerably. Who will deliver us from this grievous yoke? Is it too much to hope that the Conservatives can do this?

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An interesting story in the Daily Telegraph today.

A poll commissioned by the Institute for Public Policy Research has found that the public expects too much from the NHS.

Frankly, they could have saved their money. I could have told them that for nothing.

The truth is, this all-encompassing ‘cradle-to-grave’ treatment expected by the public cannot be provided out of general taxation. The demands are too great to be borne by a publicly funded health service.

Think about it. Hardly a month goes by without legal action being commenced against some Primary Care Trust for refusing to provide some wonder drug or other. We have just had the Herceptin wars. Then there are all the policy acrobatics being performed by trusts as they try to decide how to spend their limited resources, excluding certain groups from treatment for the most fatuous reasons.

But whose fault is it that we expect heaven and earth from the NHS? Is it not that of the politicians, who come to us every five years promising a ‘world class health service’? And in-between election years, the Government spends its time cooking up one initiative or the other, all designed to deceive the electorate that things are indeed getting better. In 2002, the national insurance contributions rate was increased by Gordon Brown. This was to pay for the NHS, we were told. Having forked out the money, is it not reasonable to wonder why things have not improved? Where has all the money gone?

The Opposition is no better. Rather than tell us that our expectations are unreasonable, they perpetuate the deceit by promising what they cannot deliver. This is why David Cameron’s decision in January 2006 to abandon the Patient’s Passport is such a great shame. That policy was the first step in admitting that there are limits to the NHS. It could have been the starting point in determining what the NHS can reasonably be expected to deliver. He has also ruled out any plans to offer tax relief on medical insurance premiums. Why the timidity? Perhaps it was the fear that Labour would have seized the chance to paint the Conservatives as wanting to destroy the NHS. That charge is enough to paralyse any politician. It is, however, a dishonest charge, and as long as it remains a tool of political warfare, the NHS will stay as it is. This benefits nobody, not least the longsuffering patients.

Until politicians start being honest about the true state of the NHS, we will continue to be heavily disappointed in our expectations.