Archive for November, 2010

The electoral arithmetic of the election result – with the Tories as big gainers and Labour as big losers – always tipped the odds against a Labour / Lib Dem coalition. This is not least since it would have depended on the support of smaller groups on a day-to-day basis to win Commons votes.

No speech about the importance of wellbeing can be made without citing Robert Kennedy’s famous denunciation of the folly of purely concentrating on economic growth . David Cameron’s announcement yesterday was no exception.

Writer L.P. Hartley’s famous opening line, “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there”, is too often a very real feeling for those analysing government, where the pace of events and media can frequently contribute to a year zero mentality.

One of the Coalition’s early actions was to put in place radical reforms to Whitehall boards. More non-executive directors are to be appointed, particularly with commercial experience, to galvanise departmental boards, utilising political and business leadership to drive up performance.

There is no shortage of straight talking about the ambition to turn government on its head and the need for a radical shift in accountability.

How do the words ‘mutual’ and ‘co-operative’ make you feel? For many, they conjure up positive feelings of togetherness and community. Everyone loves John Lewis and we can all understand how giving people a direct stake in an organisation they work for, or are served by, is a good idea.

The Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit (PMSU) was created out of the merger of Performance and Innovation Unit, designed to challenge conventional policy-making form the centre, and the No.10 Forward Strategy Unit.

Just over a month ago, non-executive directors (NEDs) from across government – from the smallest arm’s length bodies to Whitehall’s biggest departments – met at the Better Governance, Fewer Resources conference.

David Cameron launched today what he called a “power shift” from Whitehall to individuals and local communities. Behind the 30 to 40 page Business Plans announced by each department lies an attempt to answer a perennial question: how to push through, and sustain, a programme of reform?

There is often Parliamentary controversy when the government seeks to give itself ‘Henry VIII powers’ – extensive powers through secondary legislation.