I was pleased to see the PM and Chancellor have decided to set up a committee to seek better value for money from departments. That used to be the main task of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Star Chamber was a committee to adjudicate the following year’s annual budget where the Treasury and spending department disagreed about the totals. It would be chaired by a nominated senior Cabinet Minister, with a right of appeal to the PM . It was not usually a good idea to exercise that right for a spending Minister and was very rare. The new Committee would be wise to empower the Chief Secretary to push back more on wasteful or ineffectual spending.
They should start with the massive NHS budget. They need to pin down how much of the one off spending of the last 20 months on Test and Trace, vaccinations and responses to the pandemic can be ended, and to see how much of the spending in the NHS budget to undertake non covid work was in practice vired to pandemic related spending. They should want to see a proper costed programme for reducing waiting lists, backed by a proper manpower and recruitment budget. They should require clarity over how much extra social care is going to get, now that it is to share part of a nominated tax for part of its budget. The decision to hypothecate some National Insurance was a bad one, and will give misleading views of how much these two expensive services actually cost. they should ask why NHS management has  kept the NHS so short of beds but long of management and management consultancy
They should review the progress with the administrative reorganisation. They should ensure no senior manager gaining a job in the new structure receives a redundancy or other payment for their past service in the old structure. They should seek to retain and reappoint all the good people from the old structure without recruitment fees. They should economise on new logos, use up old administrative supplies and only allow property changes where that will result in savings. These are all points I have made about the impending reorganisation.
December 6, 2021
Good morning.
One would have thought that, when the PM appointed Ministers, the first requirement would be just that – to seek better value from their respective departments.
The setting up of this committee, another reward for some mates, is to me a measure of failure not administrative prowess.
On the projects that I work on it is the responsibility of the Project Manager (or Minister / Secretary of State) to manage both the project, hence the name, and the budget. So having to appoint people to effectively tell you how to do your job (ie run your department) is embarrassing. Or could be just another one of those (apart from jobs for the boys and girls) be seen to do something without actually doing anything schemes ?
Cynic moi ?
December 6, 2021
+1
Agree
December 6, 2021
The same Star Chamber Cameron set up to review the MPs scandal that came to nothing!
December 6, 2021
Mark B,
In real life the first priority of the Prime Minister is to get his people in post and ensure rivals for the top job do not have a chance to shine.
Once in position, the ministry is the appointeeâs personal fiefdom. Provided there is no adverse publicity the minister can do as they choose.
Transparency and value for money are not priorities for this government. In fact there is drive for further exemptions from the Freedom of Information provisions.
December 6, 2021
We do not have a constitution like the USA which states “We the people……..”
We have no control and the Globalist UK establishment know this.
Time for revolution.
December 6, 2021
Indeed Mark. As another Project Manager I agree.
December 6, 2021
No Mark, that’s old. When managers started to claim that “you don’t need to know to manage” the decision-making was (eventually) taken away from them, thankfully. Although they continue to exercise power through budgets.
PMs now plan and co-ordinate, they are not capable of decision-making. In IT especially a new role was invented around the turn of the century – architect – to make the decisions.
December 6, 2021
Why have a Committee, which will achieve SFA, when they could set up yet another Quango, stuffed with Diversity and Inclusion Executives, costing a great deal more and also achieve SFA?
Johnson could save ÂŁ100 billion+ immediately by scrapping the HS2 white elephant. He won’t, despite the fact there is no viable business case for it whatsoever.
There is nothing conservative about the charlatans in power. This is just another exercise in trying to fool most of the people most of the time.
I’m sorry Sir John, because we know you are doing your utmost to instil some conservatisms into these CONsocialists, but “it’s the (futile) hope that kills you.” and most of us have given up hoping. We voted Conservative and we appear to have got a Socialist Government with Fascist tendencies.
December 6, 2021
It does indeed seem to be a “Socialist Government with Fascist tendencies” and with the insanely expensive and pointless net zero religion on top just for good measure. What happened to the old Boris?
December 6, 2021
Matt Ridley today is surely right – âGreen commissars canât see the wood for the trees
Storm Arwen showed the value of gas stoves and diesel, and the folly of our national forestry policyâ
Also good to have a small petrol, diesel or gas electricity generator so you can keep the central heating pump going, a few LED lights on, the fridge/freezer running and the computer/tv on. Or just an inverter from the car battery can do. Not so good to have electric heating, electric car and electric house but with no electricity. Can the dopes on the Committee for Climate Change please take note and get real.
December 6, 2021
The old Boris was a fool, and brought humour to politics. The electorate thought he would be a serious policy maker and activist. They were disappointed, in fact far too much of what he presides over is the exact opposite of what the voters expected of him and any Conservative PM.
December 6, 2021
MT, agreed, the âold Borisâ was no different from the bumbler now in office.
We could laugh at him as he deflected and dodged the smug smart-Alecs on HIGNFY but I canât remember anything that he did before or since, in office or otherwise, that commended him to me as a serious future leader of the country.
December 6, 2021
I think that certain substances are rather expensive? Not sure mind you.
@sniffer dogs to be deployed in Parliament! Eh..what?
Obviously PPâs answer to mounting chaos!
December 6, 2021
More idiot government waste – âEvery household in Wales will be offered a free tree to plant as part of the Welsh Government’s commitment to tackle climate change, Deputy Minister Lee Waters promised todayâ. Moronic waste from the idiot.
So you pay taxes they waste much of it in collection and admin then they send you a tree you did not want and have no where to plant it anyway. Even if you do probably the wrong sort of tree. Lee Waters pisses you money away on a political gesture. Surely using public money in this way to buy votes is (or certainly should be illegal). Then again the dire Gordon Brown had his moronic baby bond (bribes?). My youngest will get a nice 18th quite soon from the proceeds. I suppose they can at least burn it when the electric cuts out!
December 6, 2021
L/L. He got married.
December 6, 2021
Does the name on the office door say ‘A.Johnson husband of Carrie’ ?
December 6, 2021
Carrie plus Covid has clearly turned him (and Sunak) into a climate alarmist, tax, borrow and piss down the drain socialist.
December 6, 2021
LL – Cameron stated he was heir to Blair – say no more.
December 6, 2021
Agreed, Donna. Our current government is a combination of socialist and green. There is no ‘conservatism’ in sight.
The country is currently dominated by lefties and the woke, many of which care for the EU more than the UK. This noisy, but very powerful, minority appear to be doing their best to destroy the UK, our ‘britishness’, our history, and democracy.
December 6, 2021
+1
December 6, 2021
To me Johnson’s cliches of ‘global Britain’ etc, without any explanation what these cliches actually meant, set off warning bells. And it would appear they were and still are, working efficiently.
December 6, 2021
I see that the NHS is advertising for more inclusion and diversity managers on about 100k per year.
Plus ancillary staff, offices cars etc it’s easy to see where the extra ÂŁ30billion will go.
Nothing for sharp end just more pointless jobs for the boys.
December 6, 2021
Disgusting and wholly unacceptable.
December 6, 2021
@Donna +1 running out of ‘Chums’ to employ comes to mind.
December 6, 2021
Donna, +1, so dismally true. I’m so very glad and relieved to reflect that I felt unable to cast my vote for the Conservatives in Name Only at the last election. (Needless to add, I certainly didn’t vote for socialism in any of its guises).
December 6, 2021
100% agree Donna
December 6, 2021
Is HS2 still going ahead…surely all Tory MPs should demand that it be cancelled
December 6, 2021
Donna – love the comment, SFA. Sums up the whole of our so called government who have absolutely no clue.
December 6, 2021
Not just properly costed plans and budgets, but also regular reviews and audits with meaningful treatment of any impropriety, excessive waste and misuse of funds or materials.
December 6, 2021
Not their money so what do they care about cost or value (if any) the public actually receive?
December 6, 2021
The NHS seems to spend vast sums of taxpayers money in organizational matters creating more and more layers of management and consultancies. Money spent should be made fully accountable to the value to the patients.
How much did the “entering smoke free zones across the NHS cost? It was never enforced and staff as well as patients would be outside the building in the common areas openly smoking. It did nothing to actually stop smoking on NHS property. What was the actual value and purpose of the scheme?
December 6, 2021
Good Morning, Sir John.
This all sounds very sensible, as usual.
You may be interested to watch Dr. David Bull, Deputy Leader of Reform UK, give his 25-minute speech on ‘healthcare and zero waiting lists’ at the party conference in October.
Dr. David Bull is a medical doctor, so can speak from his experience of watching tax-payers’ money being wastefully fire-hosed at the NHS, with little effect.
‘zero waiting lists’ sounds impossible, but he demonstrates how it is do-able in a short space of time, keeping our NHS into the bargain.
December 6, 2021
The waste and incompetence in the NHS is massive. Using GPs (with 10 plus years of training and experience) to administer vaccines is an idiotic waste of much needed resources – when it is a task most sensible people could be trained to do in 30 mins thus releasing them.
December 6, 2021
And indeed, turning down offers of help from people with the necessary training. But obviously not in the Doctorsâ closed shop
December 6, 2021
I had my flu jab last month and it was a GP rather than a nurse who administered the shot.
December 6, 2021
I paid for my flu jab privately at my local chemist. Good for the chemist. Good for the NHS. Presumably yours was a handout?
December 6, 2021
I hope you checked very carefully that the pharmacist, or assistant(?) was fully trained, experienced, had insurance, and ensured each used needle was dropped into Medical waste container? I ask because you may not be alerted to the risks by Nottingham Lad Himself, who is providing us with public warning relating to services we may inadvisably use, amongst a whole array of words of caution that the unwary might fall foul of?
December 6, 2021
I got mine free at my local chemists andy
Why did you have to pay?
December 6, 2021
Andy – queue jumping as well to add to your list of hypocrisy.
December 6, 2021
You pay your tax, they provide a few services with it. Doesnât seem like a hand out to me. It might be for a fantasist keyboard warrior like you, living at home with your mum on benefits.
December 6, 2021
I had my booster a few weeks ago in the town hall. The clinic is run by the pharmacy. Two people were at desks registering people and there were four screened areas where the injections were administered. I have no idea who the people doing the jabs were – I don’t imagine four GPs were in there on a Sunday afternoon – I assumed it was retired nurses or something like that.
December 6, 2021
Agree – the way we train our doctors, and indeed nurses, isn’t fit for purpose…Let them specialise early
December 6, 2021
Indeed you do not usually need to know about hips, knees and ankles to do cataract operations. Just as aircraft engineers who change tyres or seats do not need to know how to replaces engines, wiring looms or ailerons.
December 7, 2021
Lifelogic – people who change seats and tyres are NOT *engineers* !
An engineer is a highly educated and qualified person.
December 6, 2021
GC – Five years is about right to train a doctor. There is an awful lot to learn. It takes a similar amount of time to train any professional.
December 6, 2021
Then there are the F1 & F2 years which are like probation. Those wishing to specialise tend to do Academic F1 & F2 years in the fields in which they wish to specialise.
Why aren’t 5th year med students given the opportunity to do a few hours a week giving jabs for a bit of pocket money ?
December 6, 2021
I donât suppose people like Dr Bull will be on this new quango. His ideas will be too radical for the inexperienced bods that will be on it.
December 6, 2021
I donât know. This government does have a penchant for choosing idiots so perhaps he has a chance.
December 6, 2021
Mary M. thanks for the heads up. I just watched that video. I was particularly interested in the provision of itemised billing at the end of treatment, and then covered by the NHS for those who qualify. This may bring greater appreciation of the service received, and also raise questions about the costs of certain procedures. Yes, it would cause another overhead, but this would be beneficial to both NHS and patients and let us see where the money goes. This would/could also remove a lot of the objections by NHS against charging people who are NOT entitled to free NHS treatment. I’ve seen the figures of the cost of care claimed from other other countries, compared to the costs claimed upon the UK from other countries. It is extremely unbalanced and signifies that the NHS is not being very efficient and they are deliberately putting extra costs on UK taxpayers which will never benefit UK taxpayers.
December 6, 2021
GP’s are not giving Covid vaccines in my town.
The surgery I use has also deleted their on-line message and appointment service; everything via telephone, if you can get through, and forget getting a face to face appointment without going through an inquisition first.
December 6, 2021
Iâm convinced the jabs stop you questioning authoritarianism. How else do you explain a lock down for a cold that has caused no deaths?
December 6, 2021
+1
December 6, 2021
+1
Behaving as though the vaccines don’t exist.
We are doing this for the unvaccinated – and they happen to be high among minority groups, which could start to look a lot like racism.
There are also lockdown lovers whose like of it has nothing to do with the disease and I list the following:
– Teachers who like to beat Boris
– NHS workers who like to beat Boris
– Civil servants who dislike Tories
– Organisations who like to blame Covid for their own shoddy service and incompetence, councils and banks …
– NHS managers who like the money
– Politicians at ministerial level who have accrued more power and control than they could ever have dreamed of (and one or two who loved the cover it offered for affairs.)
– The Government itself for which Covid is an excuse to raise taxation…
Boris doesn’t realise that Christmas is already saved. Among my friends and family none are doing what we did last year again. All that will be in question is whether or not we go to the pub over the season.
Omicron has killed no-one.
This is not ‘living with the virus’ as we were promised when the first 15,000 of vulnerable people were jabbed. Three jabs on and we are being told that everything that makes life living is under threat again.
And that we have at least 5 more years of this, according to Sage communists.
–
December 6, 2021
Add to that list of people who love lockdown
– everyone who loves working from home.
December 6, 2021
‘Omicron has killed no-one’
Omicron hasn’t even hospitialised anyone
I’ve had worse colds walking to school in the snow when I was a child
December 6, 2021
+1
December 6, 2021
Wise words
December 6, 2021
Today we read that ministers are to blame because doctors wonât do visits to housebound people to give them covid boosters. There apparently 300,000 such people who are unvaccinated. But there are 1.5m NHS staff in the U.K. thatâs 5 for every unvaccinated housebound person. So why canât the NHS find the resources to make such visits, how long would they take? These producer-focused public sector organisations need to come under much more pressure to deliver essential services for all the ÂŁ billions they get from us.
December 6, 2021
Indeed a sensible person with a scooter/motorbike/car and a bit of planning could surely do about 30 a day without much difficulty even more if several are in one place or area like care homes.
December 6, 2021
I’ll get down to writing a business plan for Jabaroo.
December 6, 2021
Lifelogic
Home visits etc
But then they only get ÂŁ30.00 per shot, compared to ÂŁ15.00 with them lining up in the surgery, and a jab every couple of minutes, follow the money, do the maths.
December 6, 2021
But being housebound their risk of catching Covid and needing hospital care is directly related to who enters the house or provides services.
December 6, 2021
District nurses would be visiting these patients who are not able to be taken for a jab why can’t they give the jab on their visit? They could use an ice-igloo box to keep the vials cold.
December 6, 2021
My neighbour was jabbed by the District Nurse.
December 6, 2021
And perhaps consider that these housebound people do not actually wish to take the jab. Not every thinking person does. It may just be conceivable that these people would rather nature took its course.
December 7, 2021
It is not nature to occupy several weeks of NHS ward beds, round the clock care provided by hard-pressed nursing staff, only to die of Covid anyway.
December 6, 2021
I had wrongly assumed that some such system was already in place. It is shocking to learn that this is not so. The obvious flaw in the future system you describe would be the right of appeal to the PM, the chief squander bug in the current out of control “system”.
December 6, 2021
Sir Jon, “They Should” of course do all of this.
Really though, the original departments ought to do this as an instinctive behaviour. It happens in the Private sector. Why not the State sector?
Perhaps they care less as it isn’t their money?
December 6, 2021
So much waste to be cut but I doubt any of this will every happen. The first thinks to cut are net zero, HS2 & all the government propaganda ads, all the PC, diversity and woke lunacy and all jobs related to this & most of the soft loans (often grants) for the many fairly worthless university degrees – if they cannot even do this what hope is there?
Will this “Star” Chamber be an ineffective as the Office of Tax Simplification created on 20 July 2010 to identify areas where complexities in the tax system for both businesses and individual taxpayers can be reduced. Since then it is roughly doubled. Will it have any sensible, numerate people who understand, energy, science, numbers and real economics on it? Or will it have dopes like the current and last BoE Governor on it with degrees in history and PPE?
December 6, 2021
LL, +1, and the Office of Tax Simplification . . . ? ? ?
I’m learning how to type with a Dropped Jaw . . . . OTS ? For funds sake !!
December 6, 2021
Will that extra ÂŁ700m, over 3 years, for drug-addiction treatment come from the existing Health budget, other departmental budgets, or just funded by even more borrowing? And why did I learn about this new spending from the radio this morning rather than from a minister standing at the Dispatch Box?
December 6, 2021
A while back the tax system encouraged people to incorporate with low CT tax rates and other advantages now with 25%+ higher CT rates coming in, the new dividend taxes and higher NI rates it is often/usually sensible not to have a company and trade as an individual and LLP (if you need liability protection).
The government as usual acting as massive generator of pointless activity and parasitic jobs. Pushing people from pillar to post. Distracting the productive from productive activity and creating largely pointless/parasitic jobs in accounting, tax planning, law, admin. and the likes. Damaging UK productivity and deterring investment hugely.
December 6, 2021
Doubtless in ten years or so they will once again make companies more tax attractive than being self employed or LLPs and we will all have to start forming limited liability companies again.
We are clearly ruled by fools who like to damage the economy and deter efficient & productive activity at every turn.
December 6, 2021
This government’s recent record with money is irresponsible and disastrous, as we’ve seen with the Covid Bounce Back Loan scheme. The National Audit Office has accused the government of establishing it with âlimited verification and no credit checks on borrowersâ. After that shocking mismanagement, it would be nice if ministers now wanted to get value for money via this committee, Sir John. But given the culture of throwing cash at problems created by the government’s own lockdown policies, to massive media applause, the prospects are not good.
December 6, 2021
Philip that is a little unfair of the National Audit Office. There was little time to do comprehensive checks as people were crying out about starving and many of the little business owners claimed they weren’t eligible for SEISS. Is it only the governments’ fault if individuals have been Rob Dogs and the accredited lenders did checks, the fraudulent claimants need finding and prosecuted. I would be interested to know how many of the people that received it also got SEISS?
BBLS was available through a range of accredited lenders and partners. A lender could provide a six-year term loan from ÂŁ2,000 up to 25% of a businessâ turnover. The maximum loan amount was ÂŁ50,000.
The scheme gave the lender a full (100%) government-backed guarantee against the outstanding balance of the facility (both capital and interest). The borrower always remained fully liable for the debt.
December 6, 2021
A classic case of wanting to be seen to be doing something. A false flag.
The public can do nothing to force change. Only MPs can act to force change. They won’t. If they won’t why the hell should we care and in such a febrile and extreme social and political environment such action is now strictly curtailed and subject to official and indeed activist condemnation
December 6, 2021
They’re very nervous about the pending by-election in Shropshire. This is just an attempt to prop up the vote by making a Conservative-sounding announcement.
December 6, 2021
DOM, +1, and my endorsement is, as usual, heartfelt.
December 6, 2021
As usual cogent and right on the money!
December 6, 2021
Does any single one of them even know what âbetter valueâ is?
December 6, 2021
Much of government activity and expenditure delivers little value, no value or often even negative value & doing positive harm.
December 6, 2021
+1
Agreed. And OUR money!!!
December 6, 2021
So they have only just realised, what one of the central responsibilities of government is then, we must assume.
December 6, 2021
+1
December 6, 2021
The situation regarding the NHS can be easily summed up in four words:
Stop all the waste
All government departments should be operating on a system of:
Is it really necessary?
Will it save time and money?
What value does it bring to the departments?
Can we afford it?
Would the ministers know how to implement such a thought process?
Stop entering donkeys into the Grand National. Horses and riders experienced and trained to meet the demands placed upon them.
December 6, 2021
People are fast realising that both Labour ans Conservative governments are wastrels, and we will be looking elsewhere. None of this “Star Chamber” nonsense will fool anybody. You either have it in you as a government to get good value and curb spending or you don’t.
December 6, 2021
I read that Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is to call in police over ‘deeply concerning’ claims of drug abuse in the Houses of Parliament. Perhaps that’s why governance in the country is so bad? MPs must be aware of any such unlawful activity. Along with this being the worst government in my lifetime it is the worst parliament. What a dreadful shower. Remember “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.â When are the “good” men and women in Parliament going to act?
December 6, 2021
The govtâs sop to Labour over criticism about wasting tax payerâs money?
Shows that dear govt. will do anything to appease the Left.
Even stop chucking our hard earned down the drain. (Until the next secondhand windmill comes up for sale or thereâs a sure bet on the 2.30 at Aintree.)
Howâs that ÂŁ2.6 million TV studio working out?
And no.9 surely MUST be in need of redecoration by now?
The colours are SOOO last lockdown!
December 6, 2021
+1 totally forgot about the No1o TV studio
December 7, 2021
+1
I too agree about the No.10’s waste and hypocrisy regarding the studio. Good point.
December 6, 2021
Why does the NHS have to take on so many functions?
Why dentistry? Why chiropody? Plastic surgery? Ophthalmology?
Dermatology? Physiotherapy? Probably more.
Cut it back to the bone.
But then it could not be a vector for left wing ideology could it?
Idiot conservatives for not getting rid of it when they could.
December 6, 2021
A couple of hours discussion in a committee can make big, monolithic decisions (like scrap HS2). But doesnât work for complex issues cutting across multiple organisations, or requiring multiple, co-ordinated changes.
Securing value-for-money requires continuous attention by management at ALL levels, supplemented by studies, such as those carried out by the National Audit Office and previously better the Audit Commission, and steered by quantified measures of performance.
It would be interesting to know how much public sector organisations spend on diversity and inclusion employees, external suppliers, and staff time, compared to how much they similarly spend on securing value for money.
December 6, 2021
Senior Civil Servants do not like change.
Unless it is adding an additional role with separate organisation and additional resources.
To have fewer employees in a Department is to fail as a Permanent Secretary.
December 6, 2021
And talking of a waste of money. Does anyone think that the inquiry into the desperately sad murder of that little boy will make an ounce of difference?
We will get the usual pious hand wringing and umpteen recommendations that will be as swiftly ignored as the previous ones.
I have no doubt everything is already in place to such occurrences and that actually it is down to lack of leadership and people failing to do their jobs properly with tenacity and common sense. We see this umpteen times with the police failing to protect victims of domestic violence.
Will anybody be held to account etc. oh stupid me for even thinking such nonsense.
December 6, 2021
You get more action in English cricket over hurty words than you do from the Police and Social Services over gross neglect leading to the murder and abuse of minors.
December 6, 2021
I fear it is getting too late for sensible investigations into Government spending, as all they ever do is employ more Publicly funded people to look into it, or the usual outside organisations who have become rich on past contracts, rather than real commercially experienced individuals, who have built their own Companies.
December 6, 2021
Preaching to the converted – total waste of time. It might help by sorting out the imbalance in Scotland between cash in and cash out – guess who covers the shortfall. But carry on regardless Boris.
December 6, 2021
‘Star Chamber ‘
This will be another delaying before whitewashing action – a headline grabbing virtue signal at best.
The Government know what is wrong, they are spending by giving taxpayers money away. There is no form of accountability by the spenders of the taxpayers money and as most of this frivolous spending is keeping ‘Chums’ employed there is no foreseeable intention to do anything ‘real’ about. At best some easy soft target will be singled out so ministers can give themselves a pat on the back.
We need a HoC with a greater majority with a sense of serving to hold people to proper account – not a house full of lazy petty snipping individuals that see a cosy job rather than a duty for them to perform.
December 6, 2021
The Governments of the UK have a track record of not being accountable for waste, they will spend, sink taxpayer money into departments. Then ensure they are not able to find out were it goes, or who is responsible for it once it is awarded.
It is the UK Governments idea of investing for future generations. Make sure no- one any-where is responsible or accountable for the taxpayer money they ‘Give Away’
If the man at the top is not responsible why should anyone else be.
December 6, 2021
I think Sir John ( no need to alert the media ) wishes to have his cake and eat it here . He is part of a Populist Party which, by definition, cannot, count, budget, or take any interest in that dull old managerial politics people like me used to support.
His focus is on the right place . NHS spending had already drifted from 5% to just under 10 % of GDP between 1980 and 2010 where it held steady for the next decade. It seems to operate like a classic highly adapted parasite, taking up any spare resource without overloading host. A steep rise of 20 % or so has now taken place and now this new level has been established we cannot expect reducing it to be easy.
Sir John John`s prescription ” try really really hard” is unlikely to make any difference , nothing will until people see they must make choices .
A populist Government is one that denies there are choices , there are only sunny uplands , golden tomorrows on the one had and gloomsters on the other .So we drift inexorably towards the large state protectionist model that created the sick man of Europe in the first place.
All unfolds as I said it would .
December 6, 2021
It’s not really done a thing of that *populist* manifesto so I don’t see your point here, Newmania.
December 6, 2021
I’m puzzled NM
Having read your posts for a long time I always thought you were a big state, high tax, big government spend kind of guy.
Yet this post today seems to say you are not.
Can you tell us what your real position is.
December 7, 2021
I liked John Major Major, voted for Blair first time with great misgivings , liked the coalition a lot and generally agree with David Gauke if that gives you any idea ?
Just an ordinary centre right sort of chap really
December 8, 2021
I reckon you are mistaken if you think those on your list are centre right.
PS
I always wondered who the person was who liked John Major.
December 7, 2021
Sadly the lion’s share of the extra money always seems to be taken up by the already most highly-paid in the NHS to be even more so and to do even less productive work.
December 6, 2021
The real issue in all of this is the wrong people in the wrong job. Apart from the Peter Principle, where everybody rises to their level of incompetence, in order to get a high powered position you need to sit on an interview. On the interview board is now the representative from the woke commissariat waiting for the one unwoke comment to exclude you.
Let me give an example.
I was asked on an interview, you attend as massive fight in a pub, you ask for back up, along come two 5 foot nothing females to assist. What are your thoughts? Well the answer that will get you the job is, I have no problem with that, they have the same training and equipment so no problem.
The real answer is I would be seriously peed off as I was hoping for two support group gorillas foaming at the mouth and their knuckles trailing on the ground. But that would lose you the job.
Now imagine going for the Met Chief Constable.
The question from the commissariat perched on the shoulder. “What would you do to tackle institutionalised racism in relation to stop and search. ”
The answer is I will look at training, I will root out the evil a, I will send all on courses. I will monitor every officers records . That will get you the job.
The real answer is. The Police and criminal evidence act was written to protect the public and covers the legality of stop and search and as long as an officer complies with the law I don’t care what colour the person being searched is.
My point being, with the Peter Principle, those in power have reached their level of incompetence or have passed the mandatory woke commissariat interview and that includes the Chancellor and the Met Chief.
December 6, 2021
Everything you suggest for the NHS is exactly right but it won’t happen.
The whole top-heavy infrastructure is essentially out of control. As soon as any minister tries to get a grip, the cry goes out from the socialists in charge to their fellow comrades that the Tories are trying once again to oppress the wonderful staff and privatize everything.
Only when voters understand what it is really costing them personally will they understand what a monster has been created.
There should be a hypothecated NHS tax so it is perfectly clear what the cost per person is.
December 6, 2021
SirJ your last paragraph is completely sensible and welcomed
I therefore predict that the complete opposite will happen
December 6, 2021
“I was pleased to see the PM and Chancellor have decided to set up a committee”
Really ? Setting up an committee is simply a displacement activity to postpone taking any actual action, possibly forever, whilst creating the illusion of action. If we looked at who will be on this committee I suspect that would confirm how ineffective it will be.
December 6, 2021
âThey should ask why NHS management has kept the NHS so short of beds but long of management and management consultancy.â
We need transparency and hard facts. It is pointless to ask general questions which the NHS Trusts can bat away with impressions of Stanley Unwin.
I would like the Government to ask each NHS Trust to publish a completed spreadsheet with the headings Job Title/Number of Personnel/Medical Qualification/Salary and to include management consultancy and any other employment tricks these Trusts may be using.
December 6, 2021
Rather ironic that the Tories are rather good at cutting numbers of hospital beds. I remember the much vaunted Maggie Thatcher closing hospital wards and not replacing them.
As a northener, I also remember her drive to kill off the mining industry. I agree the unions were too militant, but she created a long lasting hatred of the Tory party by abandoning those areas and leaving them to rot.
December 7, 2021
Shirley M
All governments of all colours shut down coal mines both BEFORE Mrs. T came to office and long there after. And she was not one of the biggest closers. That dubious honour goes to Harold Wilson.
December 6, 2021
This is utterly depressing, but could explain so much:
rt.com/uk/542261-house-commons-drug-problem/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Email
December 6, 2021
âI was pleased to see the PM and Chancellor have decided to set up a committee to seek better value for money from departments.â
The Government have never attempted to remove from our institutions the fifth column embedded by the previous Labour administrations.
We never read of any civil servant or quango employees or NHS admin staff being sacked for incompetence, malfeasance, corruption, misbehaviour, indolence or truculence.
Perhaps they donât want to or canât, in which case, whoâs in charge?
December 6, 2021
Am I alone in being concerned about the well-being of MiC?
Or has he assumed a different identity?
Perhaps NLH?
December 6, 2021
Most of us spotted the acerbic and often disagreeable allegations and tone of writing, rarely humerous and usually bitter and twisted.
December 7, 2021
I think NLH makes reasoned comments and some make me LOL.
December 7, 2021
no accounting for taste…
December 6, 2021
Lester. Judging by the antagonistic attitude of his writing I’d say it’s Martin.
December 6, 2021
What you write is, I would have thought fundamental to the running of good government. While I agree with it, the effect is some distance from governments ultimate customers, the tax paying public, though ultimately harmful to them.
This weekend I experienced something at times very harmful to all users of on line services. I was dealing with a large high street pharmaceutical company, but the problem is endemic. When problems occure , help line telephones are not answered and email contact is only with none specific computers that rely with a no reply facility. With a Parliament full of lawyers it should be possible to legislate to prevent companies trading on the internet while hiding from their customers. This would be of direct benefit to the vast number of electors who use the internet for their personal needs.
December 6, 2021
And in other news
Top Tory councillor Anthony Allen has today announced his resignation from the party and defected to Laurence Fox and Martin Daubneyâs Reclaim Party ahead of the North Shropshire by-election
December 6, 2021
We on this forum are not alone in our views
Anthony Allen ââthe government simply arenât conservative any more, theyâve gone soft on illegal immigration, theyâve lost control of taxation and are obsessed with crippling green taxes nobody wants.ââ
December 6, 2021
Another one today
Mark Whittle â Deputy Mayor of Market Drayton and Chairman of Market Drayton Conservative Branch â joined Reform UK Party today
December 6, 2021
The government is not going to do ANY of the things you suggest. We have already seen – thanks to your questions – that the NHS is being run on the insane basis of first asking for more money and then deciding how to spend it. Sajid Javid is obviously an imbecile and nothing can change that. Furthermore, the committee that has been set up is NOT going to “seek better value for money from departments”. I’m afraid you are mistaken there. What it will seek is simply lower expenditure. Spending less is NOT the same as spending better.
December 6, 2021
There is always room to change and look at smarter spending in any organisation to get the same outcome with the same protections in place, a fresh pair of eyes instead of tired old jaded “we’re to the bone anyway” automatic responses from section heads is always welcome to me. Some things must have been cut or the newspapers wouldn’t keep printing ‘real-time cuts’ to this that and the other, do they do the same balancing act on ‘real-time increases’ departments receive because we never hear that yet taxes are rising exponentially in real-time increases.
What does the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I had to look up this person, Simon Clarke MP do instead if his work has been diluted?
My question is: what does Boris think his party have done well this year that he is the proudest of? This is one for each of his department heads what have your department done well this year? What has this improved for the public and how is it measured?
December 6, 2021
Exactly. Many businesses, corporations etc will have set Objectives, and methods of measuring Performance with KPIs. Would Sir John ask or advise us of any Cabinet or other Ministers’ Objectives and Performance ?
December 6, 2021
Strange, how the words ”Star Chamber” bring to mind sinister goings on through history…
”In the Star Chamber the council could inflict any punishment short of death, and frequently sentenced objects of its wrath …. With each embarrassment to arbitrary power the Star Chamber became emboldened to undertake further usurpation. … The Star Chamber finally summoned juries before it for verdicts disagreeable to the government, and fined and imprisoned them. It spread terrorism among those who were called to do constitutional acts. It imposed ruinous fines.” (Masters 1904)
Wedge/thin end?
December 7, 2021
+1
Star Chamber = Symbol of repression !
December 6, 2021
Off topic but I read elsewhere that the PM is not considering making Owen Patterson a Lord. I am surprised by this. After years of dedicated public service, surely this is the least he deserves and it would help people to understand their place.
December 6, 2021
Correct – Plebs from time to time need to be told that their plebs and keeped at their station
December 6, 2021
O/t but I cannot believe we are seeing Johnson now âconsideringâ an Interpretation Bill which will allow government to disregard any legal ruling it dislikes.
It just gets worse and worse. This is the very definition of tyranny.
December 6, 2021
Former health secretary Matt Hancock said breaking of social distancing guidance, which led to his resignation, was “a failure of leadership”.
The West Suffolk MP stood down after pictures were published showing him in an embrace with a colleague. Speaking to the BBC at a mass vaccination event at Newmarket Racecourse, he said he was “sorry for all the people I let down”.
His romantic attachments are of no concern of ours, but his or hers failure to check that an embrace or more would not be filmed shows a rather worse attention to detail expected of a Health Secretary.
December 6, 2021
stop giving work visa holders their first 12 months in this country a total exemption from both employers and employees national insurance
these and other statements of the bleeding obvious available freely on request
December 6, 2021
OT ish.
There’s a by election next week. Guess what ‘Boris’ comes up with as a stunt – gets dressed up like a para-miltary cop and pretends he’s going to get tough on drug crimes. I wonder what he’ll do or say tomorrow.
Whatever he does or says he can’t be trusted. Don’t forget either, Sir John will say some nice party support things.
December 7, 2021
I thought that was against the law. Dressing as a police officer whilst not actually being one.
December 7, 2021
And on GB News last evening, the future penalties proposed by the Home Office in relation to this latest drugs action announcement, withdrawal of passports and driving licenses, the legal opinion ( from the guest on the show ) was that those actions would be difficult if not impossible to enforce. So what are the actual facts of that matter.
December 6, 2021
Quite agree Sir John.
About time the Civil Service, quangos etcetera were thoroughly investigated for wasting tax payers money.
The N.H.S. is one of the worst offenders and has been for a long time.
I think it has become something of a ponsi scheme. All the money that is ‘given’ to it is immediately spent on wasteful additional bureaucracy.
What should have happened from the start of the N.H.S. is that money raised from N.I. was sensibly invested to raise more money.
December 7, 2021
Pauline
How long has the Tory Party been in office ? And why all of a sudden now ?
In short – It won’t happen !
December 6, 2021
All those things you say they “should” do and all those figures they “should” request… do you mean that those are not happening already?
What a dog’s dinner this country really is.
December 7, 2021
No-one has answered my simple question: why has a failed organisation like the NHS, which has manifestly failed to provide a health service that is fit for purpose, been given additional power and responsibility by including social care?
Now that we have the Omicron variant of COVID-19, reputedly faster spreading and milder than previous variants, why are we not isolating all COVID-19 hospital patients in Nightingale hospitals? Not enough staff? Well, staff the Nightingale hospitals with a mixture of fully qualified nurses and auxiliary nurses who are rapidly trained to administer COVID-19 treatments and nothing else. After all, the NHS has been allocated new money; staffing Nightingale hospitals is a better use of the money than recruiting 42 health and social care supremos at ÂŁ200000+ per annum each.
About 2 months ago, the Daily Telegraph reported some data from NHS England. Out of 50000 COVID-19 deaths, only 59 (0.1%) were both vaccinated and without another underlying illness. I’m all out of sympathy with people who refuse to get vaccinated. Let them mess up their own lives, not other peoples’.
December 7, 2021
I hope the tree’s that Drakeford will be handing out will be gumtree’s, because we are going to need loads of them soon to ascend given this Governments insane policies.