Read and watch: Ed Davey's speech to ConferenceEd Davey's speech to Conference yesterday is already proving controversial within the party. His announcement that we are now calling for the country to develop its own independent nuclear deterrent had one member in tears and others mystified. Given that we will be debating a paper on international security in Autumn, people were wondering why that proposal could not have been properly announced as part of that process. Anything to do with nuclear weapons has long been an emotive issue for the party. Over dinner the other night, we were talking about the (before my time) leadership defeat on its ... (more) |
Welsh NHS and schools underperforming despite funding increaseFollowing on from yesterday's post about the limited funds that might be available to the next Welsh Government with which to effect change, the BBC report on other aspects of the IFS analysis that suggests that spending more may not be the answer anyway. The broadcaster says that the Institute for Fiscal Studies has concluded that Wales' health and education systems are underperforming compared with England despite significant increases in spending. The IFS report concludes that despite recent falls waiting lists remain far higher than before Covid struck, and school absences remain 50% higher than in 2019: David Phillips of ... (more) |