Category Archives: Public Administration

Surpluses, Budgets, Parliament, and Accountability Down Under (Australia): some random thoughts

Posted on May 19, 2012 by

I am in Australia as “Accenture-Crawford School Distinguished Visiting Professor” at Australian National University in Canberra. Many thanks to both Accenture and the excellent Crawford School of Public Policy. I’ve been doing a fascinating series of meetings, seminars and lectures … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | Leave a comment

The Class Ceiling – Posh Boys (and Girls) Still Rule OK

Posted on April 29, 2012 by

When Tory MP Nadine Dorries described her Prime Minister and Chancellor as ”two arrogant posh boys” it prompted me to start thinking about my own experiences of class in British society over the past half century. My conclusion – there … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Whitehall | 5 Comments

Jeremy Hunt (DCMS) debacle raises again the issue of Civil Service Reform

Posted on April 26, 2012 by

This week saw an extraordinary outburst from the most recently retired Head of the Civil Service, Lord Gus O’Donnell. He said, on the BBC, “”When governments go through difficult patches you are looking for who you can blame. The issue … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Public Administration, Public Management, Whitehall | 3 Comments

The Public Government of Public Money – not yet, not by a long way

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

Three decades ago two American academics published a superb analysis of the way in which British government’s made finance decisions provocatively entitled “The Private Government of Public Money” (Heclo and Wildavsky, 1981). Has the Coalition accidentally given birth to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Parliament, Politics, Public Administration, Spending, Whitehall | 1 Comment

Saint GP. Why have GPs been elevated to special status in the health debate?

Posted on March 11, 2012 by

The whole NHS reform is based on an assertion – that GPs are somehow better placed to decide what NHS services need to be provided because they are in some sense ”closer to patients”. The news story today that GPs … Continue reading →

Posted in NHS, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management | 9 Comments

Is the Civil Service Accountable to Parliament? Hodge vs O’Donnell spat opens a can of worms.

Posted on March 10, 2012 by

Is the Civil Service accountable to parliament? Margaret Hodge MP, the formidable chair of the powerful Public Accounts Committee of Parliament says “yes”. Sir (now Lord) Gus O’Donnell and other ex-Mandarins say firmly “no”. (For details see the Guardian website here). … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Parliament, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Whitehall | 5 Comments

Localism: ‘It’s like letting go of your toddler’s bike’ says Mandarin

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Dame Helen Ghosh DCB is, I’m sure, a very fine civil servant in may ways, but sensitive to others perspectives she’s clearly not. Speaking at the NAO Conference on Performance yesterday (22 Feb 2012) Dame Helen was explaining how the … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Administration, Whitehall | 1 Comment

Lies, Damned Lies, and Government ‘Efficiency’ Savings (Again)

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

It is nice to see that the new lot are just the same as the old lot, at least when it comes to reporting so-called “efficiency” or “waste” savings. Today Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude was telling anyone who would … Continue reading →

Posted in Performance, Public Administration, Spending, Whitehall | 1 Comment

The Work Programme: individual versus systemic outcomes

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

The government is very proud of its Work Programme. It is especially proud of the fact that the WPs private sector providers are only paid on the basis of individual outcomes – do the participants get a “long term” job.

Posted in Public Administration, Spending, Whitehall | 3 Comments

Implement That

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

Watch out for the word “implementation” in 2012. It’s the new in-word in Whitehall.

Posted in Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Whitehall | 1 Comment

Leadership in the Civil Service: Those that Can, Do Policy. Those That Can’t…..

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

Today (20 Jan 2012) the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) published a scathing attack on the re-organisation at the top of the Civil Service that took place over Christmas.

Posted in Public Administration, Whitehall | 2 Comments

My Top Ten (most read) WhitehallWatch posts of 2011 (so far)

Posted on December 22, 2011 by
Posted in International, Performance, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | Leave a comment

Academy Schools Funding System Fails – quelle surprise

Posted on December 8, 2011 by

I have been predicting for some time that some of the big structural changes to public services are likely to destabilise the financial systems in health, education and local government. So it comes as no surprise that tens of millions … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Administration, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | Leave a comment

Greek Deficit and Tax Evasion

Posted on November 10, 2011 by

One issue that keeps coming up around the Greek crisis is the degree of tax evasion. In the slide below I report the average Greek budget deficit per year on a decade by decade basis since the 1960s (figures on … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Spending | 2 Comments

My Big Fat Greek Government?

Posted on November 7, 2011 by

The Greek crisis has given neo-liberals a a great opportunity to criticize ‘big government’ Hellenic style – they see the problem as a Big Fat Greek Government (apologies to the film of nearly that name). But as usual the truth … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending | 2 Comments

The ‘Managerial Revolution’ is Over: They Won?

Posted on October 28, 2011 by

“Income Data Services, which totted up pay, bonuses and various share awards, says the average FTSE 100 executive director pocketed a 49 per cent rise in the last financial year to bring their remuneration to £2.7m a year. Chief executives … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Management | 3 Comments