The key problem is stagnation. Margaret Thatcher’s reforms promoted mobility and opportunity. Now we are an economy which doesn’t change enough.
The elements that came together to see a Conservative elected Mayor in 2008 – a national mood turning against Labour, a near-celebrity candidate in the as-yet-untarnished form of Boris Johnson, and a radical and increasingly unpopular incumbent – are not currently at hand.
Monday’s speech and today’s announcement show them choosing their ground for the next election. And since Hunt may find no money for further tax cuts next spring, the option of a May general election is opening up.
He says Labour are greatly underplaying the difficulty of passing any substantial reform, and that there will be a “bloody battle” to get anything done.
The Prime Minister’s rhetoric about being a man who makes the tough choices has not yet been borne out in his policymaking.
As his options narrow, Sunak has little choice but to get back to first principles, which would be the right course anyway.
My hunch is the next generation of aspiring leaders will have a firmer grip on the meaning of conservatism than the current crop. Or, at least, I hope so — otherwise there might not be a party to lead.
“Our population is vastly bigger than it was after the war, and it’s absurd that our urban footprint hasn’t been able to catch up.”
We don’t want our children to grow up in a stultified, caste society where the only way to wealth and opportunity is to inherit it from parents.
Abstract problems such as economic growth or environmental peril can weigh less with voters than concrete questions about the health of their town or where they’re going to live.
Our deputy editor delivered some harsh truths at a Centre for Cities fringe on the housing crisis – and hand-delivered a draft development order to Rachel Maclean.
The seventh part of our series on reducing demand for government, in which we set out a programme for change – focused on families, civil society and government.
Excessively restrictive regulations, overstretched and obstructive council officials, and neglectful and absentee landlords are all barriers to creating a brighter, sustainable future for much-loved town centres.
The sixth part of our series on reducing demand for government, in which we set out a programme for change – focused on families, civil society and government.
We set out our plan in Policy Exchange’s latest report, What do we Want from the King’s Speech, along with proposals for 13 other Bills.