The Coalition Programme: A New Vision for Britain or Politics as Usual?

Abstract

The Coalition programme includes restructuring public provision through reforms and cuts which will take public spending in the Britain below that in the US. This article explores whether the Coalition agenda is best understood as a new approach to Britain's deep‐seated economic short‐comings or simply as the normal politics of gaining and retaining power. It analyses the current government's programme, identifies the common features across the range of policies and discusses how they are likely to develop as they encounter set‐backs.

The financial crisis and health care systems in Europe: universal care under threat? Trends in health sector reforms in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain

“…In the context of the crisis, the three countries experience distinct financial pressures (Table 5) with different repercussions on the health systems. Spain, UK, and Germany entered a recession in 2009, but their different positions in the European economy conditioned both the ways they dealt with the crisis 38,39 and its consequences for the national health systems, as presented next, beginning with Spain.…”

“…The recent international financial crisis heightened the economic pressures on national health systems and was used as an opportunity by conservative governments to extend restrictive measures, expand market space and competition, and reduce state intervention 5,39 .…”

“…However, the British austerity program did not result from an imposition by the European Union. The United Kingdom did not introduce the Euro, and to defend its financial elites, it refused to participate in the fiscal pact of 2012, which included guidelines for regulating the financial system 39 of relations between financing/purchasing and delivery and expanded roles for the regulatory agencies 32,49,50 . The CCGs were created as local organizations of GP clinics, replacing the PCTs since April 2013 in hiring specialized and hospital services for their enrolled patients (abandoning territorial accountability 51 and taking over management of 70% of NHS expenditures).…”

Social Security Reform and the Surveillance State: Exploring the Operation of ‘Hidden Conditionality’ in the Reform of Disability Benefits Since 2010

“…The Coalition Government of 2010-15 came to power emphasising the need to reform social security in order to tackle cultures of dependency (Wiggan, 2012) and to reduce the structural deficit (Taylor-Gooby and Stoker, 2011). Their approach to tackling dependency was twofold: firstly reducing eligibility; and secondly incentivising or even compelling return to work.…”

Health-Care Provision, Politics and Political Science: A Commentary

“…the current -2017-developments in the USA and the attempts of the Trump administration to change 'Obamacare'). Having noted that, we can refer to broader welfare issues also, and to relate it not just to party politics, but to party ideologies too, thinking of the Cameron leadership period of the Conservative Party and the 'Big Society' discourse versus welfare policies, as depicted in Taylor-Gooby and Stocker [22].…”