Author Archives: Simon Parker

The Independent View: This is the right time to drive forward integrated health and care

nhs sign lrgThe NHS is becoming too big to fail. Like a more benign version of the banks, it has become such a vital part of our national life, with such a slick lobbying machine and such a powerful public profile that it has become hard to challenge. So when the system starts to creak, everyone from MPs to doctors immediately shouts for more money. The problem is that more money may not solve the problem, but simply allow the NHS to subsist in a state of perma-crisis.

The only way out …

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | 13 Comments

The Independent View: Why it’s time for Nick Clegg to really end child detention

Among the Liberal Democrat policy gains that Nick Clegg attributed to the coalition government in his party conference speech last month was the ending of child detention. The same claim was made in the Liberal Democrat ‘List of Achievements’ and in a speech at the National Liberal Club summing up the party’s record one year into the coalition government.

The only problem with this claim is that it is not true. Child detention has not ended in the United Kingdom.

According to the Migration Observatory, more than 400 children were detained by the UK Border Agency in 2010. Certainly …

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged and | 11 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Peter Davies
    @Simon "The costs of HS2 are indeed outgrageous – but as a few minutes ressearch would show , have little to do with fraud and a lot to do with the utter madn...
  • Judy Abel
    @Hywel fair point although second class letters are so slow that I would prefer the French model!...
  • Judy Abel
    @Ynys I stand corrected but at least I got the right playwright and the right play!...
  • Judy Abel
    @Simon yes we should either subsidise the essential services we value and pay for them through progressive taxation or not privatise businesses that then extrac...
  • Judy Abel
    @Peter I agree the media sets the tone in a lot of cases! Look at the disproprtionate number of times Farage appeared on Question Time. Our media is right leani...