The Transport Bill is an opportunity to take a radical look at integrated transport in Scotland. Sadly, the Bill as introduced falls somewhat short of this aim.
The Scottish Government has…Read more…
Happy Birthday to our National Health Service
Happy Birthday to our National Health Service, one of Labour’s finest achievements in government. A brilliant socialist concept that shows the benefits of collective action to tackle the challenges…Read more…
Pensions reform offers no easy options, but scale matters
Scotland’s largest pension scheme is considering major changes in the way it’s £42bn worth of assets are administered.
The Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme (SLGPS) Advisory Board is…Read more…
Time for coordinated workforce planning
Workforce planning in Scottish local government is largely a local and ad-hoc approach, which is simply inadequate for the challenges created by austerity and will not cope with future demand. It is…Read more…
Democracy matters – The Local Governance Review
Modern Scotland needs a major devolution of power, placing responsibilities and resources with citizens and communities. This means strengthening democracy through the ballot box and by giving people…Read more…
Rebuilding the intergenerational contract
The gulf between the earnings of younger and older people has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, leaving young workers struggling to survive. Does this mean the Intergenerational contract is…Read more…
Municipal socialism for modern Scotland
Municipal socialism is the basis for delivering a wide range of local services in local government across the world.
Today, I was in the Scottish Parliament introducing my latest paper for the Jimmy…Read more…
Care integration – lessons from Wales
Delivering better health and care integration is a challenge in all parts of the U.K. and internationally. We should try and learn from experiences elsewhere, and I was in Cardiff today contributing…Read more…
Defending devolution in the Brexit Bill
The Tories and SNP may well be playing with the EU Withdrawal Bill for political reasons, but there are important reasons why those who support devolution should be concerned.
The EU Withdrawal Bill…Read more…
The case for a Scottish energy company needs greater ambition
The creation of a Scottish public sector energy company is very welcome initiative, but the suggested model lacks ambition and is unlikely to tackle the failed energy market.
On 10 October last…Read more…
Automation and the case for government intervention
The robots are coming to take your job – or maybe not quite yet.
As the recent ScotGov/ STUC paper puts it, there are two schools of thought. Those who believe we stand on the cusp of widespread…Read more…
Better pensions coverage won’t be sustained unless we sort out the pensions system
IThe big increase in private pension coverage is very welcome, but we need to improve the adequacy of pensions and the quality of provision as well.
The impact of auto-enrolment on pension coverage…Read more…
World Water Day
World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water. This year’s theme, ‘Nature for Water’, explores nature-based solutions (NBS) to the water challenges…Read more…
The case for a credible Just Transition Commission
Any plan to tackle climate change has to have Just Transition and an industrial strategy at its core.
Those of us who take a close interest in climate change tend to leap into the detailed aspects of…Read more…
Why ownership matters
Ownership gets too little attention in industrial policy and in public service reform. Richard Leonard, in his first Leader’s speech at the Scottish Labour Party conference, put some clear red water…Read more…
Labour and exiting the EU
I often start a conference presentation by saying I am not going to talk about Brexit, but usually do. The subject is unavoidable as it impacts on so many aspects of public policy. As we approach the…Read more…
Living Wage – public sector leadership
The living wage movement is an international one. There are differences in context and approach, but the underlying principles are the same.
I have spent the last two days in Ontario, Canada, as a…Read more…
Labour Party National (UK) Policy Forum
The National (UK) Policy Forum gathered this weekend in Leeds. Representing the Scottish Labour Party is always a challenge at these events because devolution means that we only have a direct…Read more…
Time to look again at policing in Scotland
The latest instalment in the sorry story that is Police Scotland has played out with the resignation of the latest chief constable. Now is the time to step back and take a longer term view of…Read more…
Council funding – a step forward, but not out of the woods
The Scottish Budget dance has taken another swirl as the Bill passes its first stage. Let’s have a look at what the changes mean for local government and pay.
First a quick recap. The draft budget…Read more…