At the age of 21 I won two elections that changed my life. In the autumn I was elected to a fellowship of All Souls College by examination. In the following spring I was elected as an Oxfordshire County Councillor in the newly enlarged County incorporating Oxford City and a part of Berkshire.
At All Souls I met Sir Keith Joseph, a Distinguished fellow of the College and a Cabinet Minister. I predicted the Heath defeat, being an opponent of the Price and Incomes Policy he brought in and appreciating the difficulty of refusing the miners better pay when inflation and energy prices were surging. After the defeat Keith helped Margaret become leader and suddenly became interested in my views, recognising I had been uncomfortable with the Heath u turn from a free enterprise Manifesto to the intense failing detailed interventions he made in the economy.
Keith was put in charge of the policy rethink. He made me adviser to the review on public spending and the economy. Margaret and Keith knew Labour was overspending badly and thought it would prove unsustainable.They did not have to wait long as 1976 saw the need for an IMF bail out and spending cuts. The Shadow Cabinet and Policy review had been running shadow budgets just in case the government collapsed. They told the public they would spend less but kept the detail private.
I advised them not to cut NHS and education but to save billions by changing management and targets of the nationalised industries and selling many of them. To be continued.
November 5, 2024
Good morning.
The late great, Sir Keith Joseph. One of the architects of what would later become known as, Thatcherism.
I remember that it was he who would openly debate with those that opposed his views. A true ‘conviction’ politicians. Sadly, an all but extinct breed.
The problem with being an oppostion party as our kind host alluded to, is that you must try and convince the electorate that, not only are you different, but better than the current government administration. You must try to win people over to your side with a positive and constructive policies. But they cannot be too detailed as you cannot afford to have your opponents eiter copy you or pick them apart. Just enough ankle must be show to keep interest 😉
Today we have politicians who will say anything and mean to do nothing. Liars, grifters and spivs ! They recognise power, but cannot see the importance of trust.
November 5, 2024
See the “Sir Keith Joseph and the Market Economy – Professor Vernon Bogdanor” video. Not that I am a great fan of Bogdanor.
The problem with being an opposition party as our kind host alluded to, is that you must try and convince the electorate that, not only are you different, but better than the current government administration.
Should not be hard given this one. But was have had 14 years of lies and fraud against the voters from the Tories why trust anything they say?
November 5, 2024
John today wind is supplying 0.96gw or 1.3% of electricity. Gas and nuclear are generating 78% of demand. Can’t any of your contacts point this out to the idiot in government.
Reply I and they do
November 5, 2024
A big election today, in the US. Probably more important for us than any we have had here for decades. I expect the result to be heavily disputed if it’s not a landslide.
Fingers crossed that my preferred candidate pulls through and can run their programme in office.
November 5, 2024
Sadly we seem to have been cursed with ‘liars, grifters and spivs’ (although some were more incompetent than crocked) as PM’s since Mrs Thatcher left office.
Ms Badenoch has a hard job to recover from the loss of confidence in politics and politicians, over the next 4-5 years. Wish her well.
November 5, 2024
I think it is incredible someone so young and was able to advise so well on economic policy. To advocate privatisation (which hitherto the world had never seen before) is truly admirable.
The fact that privatisation was a huge success (ie these companies financial statements were transformed), that it was copied by other countries too and not a single 1980’s sale was reversed by any subsequent Labour government either is testimony to its success. These companies were either in a struggling or feeble state and they were transformed into world class competitors by privatisation.
It would be great to see the Conservative Party deliver solutions like this again.
November 5, 2024
A very interesting article John. I think history is about to repeat itself re the IMF bailout. Thieves is daily showing her incompetence which is being picked up by the bond market. Recently Putin had to cancel a bond sale as there were no takers. The bank rate was increased to 21%. This is the trajectory being followed by the current clown show.
Today is an important day for the free world so fingers crossed for a Donald win. It’s the only way we can get out of this self destruct cycle of woken Ness and net zero nonsense.