There is simply no good reason to suppose that public ownership would lead to better management and higher investment when historically it has produced the opposite.
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown inherited a strong economy and low taxes, and thus plenty of scope for more spending. Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves would take office in vastly more difficult circumstances.
Couples are waiting later and later to have children due to the cost of living in many areas of the country – of which housing plays such a massive part. It is certainly encouraging to see action is being taken to reduce some barriers to building, but this should be done with more haste.
How much of the post-war public sector estate is going to come to the end of its useful life over the next few decades – and how much will we end up paying for the false economy of cheap concrete?
The UK’s cheapest project is only barely cheaper than France’s most expensive; on average, Brits pay two and a half times more (on a per mile basis) than their French counterparts to build the same length of track.
The sad truth is that until Tory MPs – and members – get serious about the trade-offs required for the long-term sustainability of the public finances, tax cuts will remain a pipe dream, and Britain’s economic position will continue to deteriorate.
At the moment the Government takes the blame as the ultimate boss, whilst lacking many of the powers to put things right owing to the doctrine of independence.
In the 2019 election, all four major party manifestos presented Net Zero as a fait accompli: none made clear the upheaval it demands, the opportunity costs involved or the dramatic impact on our quality of life.
Whilst spending more nearer to an election is often an election winning strategy, this time it is likely to consign us to defeat.
The Cameron Government showed that benefits cuts are acceptable, even popular, when they are perceived as fair.
Both the wish to improve education and to offer more help to families require more public spending, not less. Such proposals only make sense if government is willing to be tougher in other areas.
There are many things that can be done to resist the tide. The first would be for ministers to make the philosophical case for where state responsibility ends, and personal responsibility starts.
“I suspect the Labour Party is slowly coming to the realisation that winning the next election is not all it’s cracked up to be.”
In his Parliament of Whores, PJ O’Rourke gave one section the stirring title “Our Government: What The F*** Do They Do All Day And Why Does It Cost So Goddamned Much Money?” But as my research confirmed in various ways, most voters do not see government primarily as an expensive nuisance.