Coalition’s NHS vision: diluting standards and incentivising profit
Health Secretary Lansley is pushing ahead with dilution of NHS universal standards and promoting risky plans giving GPs total budget control to buy all NHS care.
Public Services
Jowell: Co-op movement standard-bearer for Labour values
Addressing the Co-operative Group the former Culture Secretary deemed the Co-operative and wider ‘mutual movement’ a standard-bearer for combined social and economic progress…
Failure to extend free school meals will cost poorest families £600 a year
The Tories and Lib Dems have just condemned 50,000 children to continue a life in poverty with their decision not to extend free school meals to 500,000 of the poorest families.
Educational opportunities must remain open for those who need them most
Only by re-building adult education can we ensure that adult educational opportunities are available to those, like Dr Cable’s mother, who need them most.
Tories and the NHS: end of the phoney war?
There is a range of views amongst Tory MPs about the future of the NHS; the phoney war during the election is likely to turn into something much more visceral.
Leadership candidates line up to attack Coalition over cuts
Labour’s leading leadership candidates have launched a series of attacks on the Coalition Government over the £6 billion of cuts.
“Deep cuts” may be required to fund free schools
The Institute for Fiscal Studies issued a stern warning this week about the “deep” cuts required to fund the Coalition Government’s roll out of free schools.
Coalition’s post office privatisation plans won’t provide value for money
This week’s Queen’s Speech confirmed what has already been reported – the government will push ahead with part-privatisation of Royal Mail.
New student loans chiefs must get a grip to avoid fresh crisis
The calamitous incompetence of the Student Loans Company last autumn leaves both resignations well overdue, and is something that NUS has long been calling for.
Show us the money, Mr Gove
Michael Gove has invited existing schools to become academies. But his new announcement explains nothing about the funding gaps for free schools and the pupil premium.