Ian Owen’s Comment piece argued that the state ‘cannot afford to fund the increasing demand for long-term care’ and ‘individuals will have to make greater provision for themselves
In ‘Down your way’, David Wilson and Martin Yates offered advice to councils on coping with the impending pressures on resources (August 7–20). Am I the only one to see the obvious flaw in the table...
THE KING'S FUND | On this side of the Atlantic we seem to be shocked that our esteemed NHS has been used so readily as a political football in the debate about health care reform in the United States...
CONOR RYAN | Whatever happens at the next election, schools will be subject to performance tables. Labour is proposing to grade schools according not only to their exam results, but also to their...
INSTITUTE FOR FISCAL STUDIES | Today's unemployment statistics showed an increase of 220,000 in the three months to June 2009, using the widely watched International Labour Organisation (ILO) measure...
TONY TRAVERS | George Osborne has clearly aggravated Lord Mandelson. The Shadow Chancellor's Demos speech yesterday attempted to portray the Conservatives as true progressives, citing Disraeli,...
JODY GOLDSWORTHY| ‘The best way to keep one’s word is not to give it.’ This adage might have worked for Napoleon, but it won’t cut the mustard for current day public sector leaders
DAVID LIPSEY| Once upon a time, the idea of Lord Mandelson rescuing the maiden Britannia made for a grim tale. But, despite his new leading role, there will still be no happy ending
JUDY HIRST| Old financial models never die. They just get restructured and rebranded. That seems to be the lesson from the remarkable resuscitation of the Private Finance Initiative, reported in this...
MARK HELLOWELL | What would the next Conservative government do with the Private Finance Initiative? Would they expand it or cut it, reform it or abolish it?
CONOR RYAN | One of the more impressive aspects of Michael Gove, the shadow schools secretary whom I interviewed for this week's magazine, is his grasp of detail and willingness to talk to people...
PETER RIDDELL| The Tories have been consulting on how to avoid the over–centralisation of the Blair/Brown years. But how do they keep government strong yet slim?
STEPHEN COURT| Universities’ response to the government’s announcement of an extra 10,000 places in higher education for 2009/10 has been somewhat muted
HEATHER WAKEFIELD| Social workers are part of a local government workforce dogged by poor pay, high vacancy levels and lack of investment in training. Will the social work task force change anything?
If a tired Labour government, 12 years in, struggles to develop a credible vision to sell to the voters, the Conservatives seem to have hit on a rich and popular idea that I am sure we will hear more...
MIKE THATCHER | Huge cuts to education, health and welfare budgets, higher class sizes, teachers losing their jobs, local government squeezed and public servants forced to take unpaid leave.
In the feature ‘Back in line?’, Guy Lodge says of parliamentary reform: ‘All it takes is political will on behalf of the parties to agree a way forward’ and ‘It will take time....’ (July 17–23)
HELEN DISNEY | Free marketeers have been thrown into confusion by the collapse of the banks. But the Conservatives are hoping they have found a political way out
