tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859345528889981553.post145547200226576639..comments2023-10-19T01:44:50.017+01:00Comments on Liberal Polemic: Question Time: Head-to-head with Clegg and HuhneLiberal Polemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05002372579024659424noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859345528889981553.post-40448540233979574002007-11-19T08:35:00.000+00:002007-11-19T08:35:00.000+00:00I thought what councils had to do was get the best...I thought what councils had to do was get the best value.<BR/><BR/>I also suspect part of this was to break jobs for the boys style systems in which preferred people got the jobs.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, that's not privatisation, privatisation involves removing government from the equation. So BT was privatised, outsourcing of rubbish collection is not privatisation and a voucher system for education isn't either.Tristanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15395992764678278326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859345528889981553.post-34379168477212951232007-11-17T12:50:00.000+00:002007-11-17T12:50:00.000+00:00It was Thatcher who originally imposed "top down" ...It was Thatcher who originally imposed "top down" market solutions, by forcing councils to accept the lowest tender for the work done by the council. This led to a deterioration of local services as many people lost their jobs for purely cost cutting reasons, and in any case the cheapest is not always the best.<BR/>As for Lib Dem policy today, I think that it is up to how people vote in local elections as to whether they try privatised solutions or Council run services. Sure that is what localisation is all about?Left Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06363370783879139149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859345528889981553.post-20272811395749711082007-11-16T10:00:00.000+00:002007-11-16T10:00:00.000+00:00Actually, I can see how the localism works. More a...Actually, I can see how the localism works. More autonomy for schools and hospitals, with teachers and doctors taking the educational/clinical decisions based on the needs of pupils/patients. Overall strategy would be set by an elected board.<BR/><BR/>The problem is that it enhances producer power rather than consumer power: it is the teachers and doctors who are in controll, not the parents, pupils and patients. <BR/><BR/>Professinals will run rings around the elected oversight (which will be of mixed quality, or chosen from among their ranks) and - at least in healthcare - there will be no recognition that resources are limited.<BR/><BR/>Frankly, I'd take the vouchers and the health insurance any day, though as you point out, <I>this is not part of Nick's manifesto</I>, despite all Chris' implied accusations.Liberal Polemichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05002372579024659424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859345528889981553.post-33444434741193967012007-11-16T08:31:00.000+00:002007-11-16T08:31:00.000+00:00You've exactly mirrored my thoughts on Huhne's ant...You've exactly mirrored my thoughts on Huhne's anti-market position. He wants to impose localism from the centre, why not go one further and impose individualism?<BR/><BR/>As far as I can tell, the current LibDem health policy is more of the same, but let local authorities make a few more decisions. Why not let individuals make decisions which so profoundly affect them?<BR/><BR/>I really dislike Huhne's attempts to damn Clegg by association. Some of his supporters are going further on this too. And he seems to be offering a false dichotomy - status quo vs US style health care, or some wishy washy localism (how does this work?) vs. vouchers.<BR/><BR/>The biggest shame is that liberal ideas are seen as a means to beat the opponent with...Tristanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15395992764678278326noreply@blogger.com