March 2010
Rank Idiocy
The MyPolice fiasco suggests that speaking to the vision of a Big Society is more important now than ever before
"...A small, social start up finds that its biggest competitor is the state it is trying to help. Not only that but the state attempts to crowd out its competitor by using the very same domain name. She would be entitled to ask: whose side are they on?..."
Whatever Happened to Traditional Conservatism?
Guest contributor Michael Merrick takes on the shibboleths of progressivism
"...beyond the trendies in Islington, metropolitan ethics is rather less popular, and it can alienate..."
When Universities Become Production Lines
Why streamlined higher education means quality left behind
"...how can the quality of education be maintained through a reduction in budgets, a streamlining of services and an increase in student numbers all at the same time?..."
Budget 2010 - Environment
Get ready for the Green Investment Bank
"...£2billion will only buy two-thirds of a nuclear power station and we cannot rely on private sector investment at a time when the economics of nuclear, wind and clean coal do not add up and the financial markets are still fragile. The Government really needs to drive this – as nobody else is in a position to do it.” No good news there then..."
Budget 2010 - Children and Families
Not the budget to end child poverty
"...The cost of child poverty is high – it is estimated to stand at £25bn per year – so the fight against it should be part of the plan for economic recovery, not something that can be treated on the sidelines..."
Budget 2010 - Ownership and Enterprise
A budget of disparate, but promising micro-economic initiatives
"...SMEs can expect a twelve month cut in the business rates and a doubled entrepreneurs' relief for Capital Gains Tax. This will mean that 500,000 SMEs will pay reduced taxes, including 350,000 of which that will pay no tax at all..."
Budget 2010 - Civil Society and Social Innovation
Baby steps towards a social investment economy
"...Red book section 6.45 announced £1.3bn of ringfenced funding to be given to local authority discretion, reducing pertinent indicators to 18 and various streams from 110 to 94. Not exactly 'freeing the slaves,' but baby steps towards some promising thinking in this direction..."
Budget 2010 @ The Disraeli Room
The ideas behind the announcements
On Wednesday March 24th, The Disraeli Room will run a series of comment pieces on the issues that arise from what promises to be one of the most important budgets in recent times.
Desperately Seeking Savings
ResPublica's Deputy Director, Asheem Singh, on the enduring public sector procurement muddle - and the policies that will make it worse
"...as the leach towards centralisation begins with the bulk purchasing of paperclips, and evolves to the mass development of titan-care-homes, what price the emergence of the 'supersaver-tender,' and a Serco or similar super-service provider bidding for Government super-duper-contracts to get people into work, to house the homeless or to help tackle drug addiction with the 'tag line,' 'every little helps'..."
Mr Blond goes to Washington
Alternative Media Wrap: 21st March
Our weekly take on the best of ResPublica's work on the web, on the blogs and on Twitter
