Blog 2023 Malcolm Blair-Robinson

Inflation is now getting to critical levels. This blog has repeatedly taken the side of those who think it is time to start raising Bank Rate. A quarter point rise was due some while back. Now a half point is needed. Interest rates would remain historically low, but a signal would go out that inflation will not be allowed to get a grip. There are serious doubts that the only reason for inflation is outside factors, outside the Bank of England’s control. Whatever the cause, its remit is to control inflation. It has a lever, the level interest rates, and its own credibility requires it to use that lever very soon.

These figures rightly cause dismay. They are the worst in Europe. That is humiliating. They are also the product of the outrageous outcome to all the years of ideological meddling in education by misguided politicians and crackpot academics.

It does not matter what you call schools or how you organise them, whether Academy, Comprehensive, Faith, or Free. What matters is that the national average of the state sector is that fewer than half the students can obtain a basic (c) pass in five subjects including English and Mathematics at GCSE. A good number go on to get degrees which are useless in the labour market and shunned by employers. Put this right and all else will follow.

Fail to do so and nothing will work, least of all the young. A country which wastes the most precious resource it has, the rising generation, will neither be successful, nor deserve to succeed.

It looks as if this foolish idea has been abandoned. Once again it is an example of a Tory government falling foul of its reform ideology, regardless of whether the proposal is relevant or appropriate during an economic emergency. The Tory half of the coalition must take on board an important truth. It is the party of good government or it is nothing.

It has never been a progressive party of reform. Its mission has been to make things work after the reformers have had a go an ended in a muddle. Even Thatcher fell victim to this. Her radical plan to unravel all aspects of socialism and union power received broad support, especially from the working class. This was because everyone could see these ideas did not seem to work. Her support began to falter when her reforming zeal crossed certain lines voters draw in the sand to deter politicians.  This included the de-regulation of busses, the privatisation of water, which almost everyone saw as a public resource, followed by the last straw, the poll tax. Her own party did the unthinkable and threw her out of Downing Street. Had it not done so the voters would have for certain.

To avoid electoral defeat in 2015, the Tories have to deliver an economically sound, better run Britain. If their reforms produce better schools achieving better outcomes, if the NHS really becomes patient focused and delivers a service based on care, not process, if welfare reform produces a fairer system which people support and understand, if the banks are re-structured to play a more constructive role in growing the economy and many other things as well, then, victory at the polls will beckon.

If, on the other hand things do not work better and echo the NHS internal market of the Major government or the botched rail privatisation of his perpetually quarrelling ministers, then May 2015 may be another black date in the history of the Tory party.