Will John Healey resign on principle over his own Budget? It emerged today that the Chancellor will not commit to raising defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 this October, despite having quit Keir Starmer’s government over exactly this issue. Instead, he will focus on finding the £5 billion necessary to fund the existing Defence Investment Plan, and punt bigger decisions – which could cost 10 times as much – into next year’s spending review. That’s becoming a bit of a theme for Andy Burnham.
Another thing that won’t be happening this year – unmanned robo-taxis on the streets of London. While self-driving cars with a safety driver behind the wheel are now approved, fully autonomous vehicles are not. You’ll be less than shocked to learn that the reason is not technological but bureaucratic. Firms need final approval from Transport for London, and its guidance on how to apply is still a work in progress.
Parliament’s back next week. Enjoy the peace while it lasts.
Below you’ll find all the latest pieces from CapX, plus what we’re reading from around the web.
Marc Sidwell
Editor, CapX
Today’s Takes
Fresh thinking from CapX
How to unblock Britain’s economic arteries
John Penrose
‘If Andy Burnham’s answer is just to try and push more taxpayer cash at higher pressure through these same narrow, congested arteries of Britain’s planning and construction industries, he’s heading for a political heart attack.’
Andy Burnham wants to build 300,000 extra affordable homes. Sounds great. Until you hear that they’ll take over 10 years when we need that amount every year. Burnham talks seriously about growth in every postcode, but that doesn’t happen if you can’t build enough houses. Read More
Labour’s war on flexible work is just getting started
Len Shackleton
‘Clamping down on zero-hour contracts is a policy which seems to be driven by ideology rather than the real interests of the workers whom the government wants to help.’
The Labour government is continuing its crusade against zero-hour contracts. Labour worry that most workers on these contracts are being exploited. Is this really the case when 70% of zero-hour workers are happy while the rest are looking for a better job? Labour’s plans would make it more expensive and complicated to hire people. That doesn’t seem very helpful at all. Read More
Stat of the Day
Best of the Web
Has Burnham gone shy on welfare reform?
Ross Clark, The Spectator
‘No matter how you dress up welfare reform – as a moral crusade to get people back into work – you cannot withdraw the benefits punchbowl without upsetting people who are living comfortably off it.’
Welfare reform has come back to haunt Andy Burnham. It is not hard to see why Burnham is so shy of anything to do with welfare, given that it was some very modest proposals slow the growth of the PIP budget which marked the beginning of the end for Keir Starmer. Perhaps he’s waiting for the final Milburn review to overcome backbench Labour MP’s objections. He may be waiting a while. Read More
Why Labour's NHS reforms will cost lives
Luke Evans, ConservativeHome
‘Patients do not care about political spin; they care about whether they receive treatment and the quality of their care.’
Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Labour’s plan for the NHS is working. But reforms that promised to take pressure off the system, are actually just rationing. The changes mean patients are delayed in getting care and diagnoses – with potentially fatal consequences. Read More
What was Manchesterism?
The Capitalist: Jonn Elledge on inventing the city
And if you want more...
– Julian Fellowes’s answer to ‘Succession’ (Law and Liberty)
– Is monetarism making a comeback? (Project Syndicate)
– Why UBI won’t work in Britain (City AM)
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