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Jump to navigationJump to searchThe Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024 by Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors) (view source)
Revision as of 18:46, 6 July 2024
, 6 Julyno edit summary
The brief was to look at what changed, who was behind these changes and how successful they were. A conclusion could then be reached as to whether or not there had been an improvement. Not all experts are equal, certainly when it comes to readability. Some here are academics and some are journalists, who are generally the more readable, although Tim Bale, on The Conservative Party, was an engaging read and I particularly appreciated Dieter Helm on the environment. John Kampfner on Culture provided me with some lightbulb moments and I reread Meg Russell's comments on standards in public life in her piece on Government, Parliament and the Constitution several times.
It might be thought that the fact that the book was completed before the July election was called but destined to be read at about the time that the election took place, might be a disadvantage but I didn't find it to be so. If it's needed , it's an excellent summary of the depths of the problem that the Labour government has inherited. I didn't detect any obvious bias although I did feel that Professor Alan Smithers was perhaps more generous about the state of education than many of my friends in the teaching profession would be. In fairness, credit does need to be given for the reform of the curriculum and examinations which Smithers feels are the best things that the Conservatives achieved in office. Others feel that this accolade will eventually go to Universal Credit.
Tom Egerton is good on ''External Shocks'', such as the financial crash of 2008, Brexit (some might say that was entirely self-inflicted), Covid and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. His views are fair and balanced but I came away with the sense of a poor hand, badly played.
