All the major political parties proclaim their commitment to high quality public services. The coalition has singled out the NHS for exceptional protection (although the policy is more smoke and mirrors than a reality) and the Labour party has sought to trump this offer with pledges for twenty thousand more nurses and eight thousand more GPs to be recruited after the general election. For both parties the emphasis is still on inputs rather than outcomes, even though only outcomes really matter.
The recent economic news suggests that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. Weaker than expected tax receipts, low wage growth and the rapid creation of low wage jobs contradict the Chancellor’s belief that his long-term economic plan is working. A corollary of the deteriorating position, assuming that there are no tax increases under a Conservative government after May 2015, is that deeper spending cuts and more job losses will be needed across the public services.
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