Public service reform has long been controversial within the Labour party and it’s likely to spark a fair few cross words at conference this year. But there is one recipient of the taxpayers’ largesse – ancient, historically successful and once supported by millions of our fellow citizens – that, surely, we can all agree is really failing.
Over the next year, the Tory party will receive over £3.5 million in ‘Short money’ – public cash designed to allow opposition parties to do their job; half a million of that will go to the leader of the Opposition’s office.
But are taxpayers getting good value for money? Seven years into a Labour government that, we all know, has had a pretty rocky couple of years, and the Tories are still failing to land a punch. Following their weak showing (compared with Labour’s mid-term performances during the Thatcher-Major governments) in the local elections, they were humiliated by UKIP in the European elections, and beaten into third place in both the Birmingham Hodge Hill and Leicester South by-elections.
It’s not even as if the Tories have the excuse that their poor performance at the ballot box is because they’re spending so much time developing exciting new policies. One of their latest transport policies, for instance, is to audit the position of every speed camera in the country. A useful task, perhaps, for the motoring equivalent of trainspotters.
No, this has gone on too long and, in the interest of taxpayers, let’s unleash the entire weaponry of public service reform: hit squads, naming and shaming, league tables, possibly private sector management. If all else fails, the Conservative party will have to be shut down and reopened under a new name.