I love conspiracy theories. From the novels of Thomas Pynchon to websites with names like Above Top Secret I find them endlessly entertaining. I just don’t believe in them. Don’t get me wrong, I think that from time to time conspiracies do happen, but they tend to be limited, temporary and hard to conceal. In… Read More Donald Trump & Brexit | A massive conspiracy?

If you follow public policy long enough you see the same shit policies over and over again. This isn’t surprising. After a while an administration runs out of steam, runs out of ideas. They start asking Civil Servants what they should do, and Civil Servants tend to give the same advice to Ministers regardless of… Read More NHS & celebrity chefs | the same shit policies come round again and again.

The Americans have a huge aversion to socialised health care.  While all other major Western economies have developed some model of state or socialised healthcare the USA alone leaves it’s health in the hands of the market.  Brits like me who grew up with the NHS are baffled and appalled at the way the US… Read More Why Donald Trump failed to get rid of Obamacare | America’s secret love for socialized healthcare

This week is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre. It was Britain’s Tiananmen Square, with pro-democracy demonstrators facing off against the military, on St Peter’s Fields in Manchester, 16th August 1819. My great-great-great Grandfather was in the front line of the demonstrators and an eye witness to the violence. If you know a lot… Read More Peterloo anniversary | My family history and C19th electoral reform

Two sharply contrasting policy announcements from the two major parties over the last couple of weeks, but equally frustrating. First up was BoJo, with an announcement that he will prioritise funding for health and social care: Next up was Shadow Chancellor with an announcement about ending public sector outsourcing: There is of course one policy… Read More Social Care funding & outsourcing |Bad ideas from both main parties