Reform still has a problem
One of most thoughtful and passionate contributors on twitter has spent a long time pondering and devising economic policy to fill the apparent reform vacuum. The Reform Website is a poorly organised but visually attractive muddle, with no depth or drill down granularity, but Queen Bob and has been blocked by Richard Tice for her troubles.
Queen Bob also has one of the most thoughtful and passionate followings (76k) that has been accumulated entirely on merit. So Richard Tice has blocked one of Reform's potential best assets, because, I can only deduce, he's lacking a soul. Which is something that bothers many Reform supporters above all else. They have tried to be generous and make allowances, since it was Tice's dogged determination that kept plugging on until Farage wafted along and fronted it up the polls; but Richard is chutzpah deficient and missing the right sort of twinkle in those dead eyes. And overall the is little evidence of pragmatism to devise how to convert an ephemeral poll lead into a solid creative alliance with remnant Conservatives. Keep watching that space and see if Elon is ready to make a move.
Rupert Lowe manages his passion in a no-nonsense (blunt) way that engages with the audience, rather than alienates them in the brittle Tice manner. It's just so bloody difficult to warm to Richard Tice, however much he might think that his heart may be in the right place, we still have difficulty finding it.
Here is Queen Bob's economic manifesto list for pruning the money tree.
Creating a list of 100 ways to save
£500 billion in the UK.
NHS Procurement and Efficiency:
- Centralize NHS Procurement
- Consolidate purchasing to achieve bulk discounts, potentially saving billions.
Review and Reduce Drug Prices:
- Negotiate better terms with pharmaceutical companies for both generic and branded drugs.
- Eliminate Unnecessary Procedures: Implement rigorous reviews to cut down on procedures with marginal benefits.
- Reduce Waste in Supplies: Implement strict inventory control to minimize wastage, particularly of expensive medical supplies.
- Use Generic Medications: Where clinically appropriate, switch to generics, which are significantly cheaper.
- Optimize Staff Scheduling: Use AI to predict patient demand and adjust staffing accordingly to reduce overtime costs.
- Outsource Non-Core Services: Contract out services like cleaning or catering where it proves cost-effective.
- Implement Telemedicine: Reduce costs by offering more services remotely where appropriate.
- Reform PFI Contracts: Renegotiate or end costly Private Finance Initiative deals for hospital construction.
- Digital Transformation: Move to electronic records to cut paper costs and improve efficiency.
Non-UK Nationals in NHS, Education, and Benefits:
- Charge Non-UK Nationals for NHS Services: Implement full cost recovery for non-emergency care for non-residents.
- Restrict NHS Access: Limit free healthcare to only those contributing via National Insurance or immigration health surcharge.
- Reduce NHS Translation Costs: Use English-only information where possible, cutting down on translation services.
- Limit University Funding for Non-UK Students: Increase fees or reduce subsidies for international students.
- Means-Test Benefits for Non-UK Citizens: Ensure only those with no other support receive benefits.
- End Housing Benefits for Non-UK Nationals: Restrict housing aid to UK nationals only.
- Tighten Immigration Health Surcharge: Increase the surcharge to better cover healthcare costs.
- Review Education Funding: Limit free education to UK nationals or charge international rates for non-UK students.
- Refuse Free School Meals for Non-UK Nationals: Limit this benefit to UK citizens.
- Eliminate Child Benefits for Non-UK Citizens: Unless the child is a UK citizen.
Foreign Aid and International Contributions:
- Reduce UN Contributions: Scale back funding to various UN programs.
- Cut WHO Funding: Redirect funds to more cost-effective health initiatives within the UK.
- Withdraw from UNRWA: Stop funding until significant reforms are implemented.
- Reduce Foreign Aid Budget: Prioritize domestic needs over international aid.
- Reevaluate EU Contributions: For any remaining financial commitments, seek cost reductions or renegotiate terms.
- Limit BBC World Service Funding: Focus on domestic services or reduce international broadcasting unless specifically promoting British interest and business
First Cousin Marriages and Genetic Disorders:
Genetic Counselling Programs:
- Fund programs to educate about the risks of first cousin marriages, potentially reducing health costs.
- Legislative Action on Cousin Marriages: If legally feasible, introduce measures to discourage or regulate such marriages.
- Specialized Healthcare for Genetic Disorders: Optimize care pathways to reduce long-term health costs.
General Government Efficiency:
- Reduce Civil Service Salaries: Implement pay freezes or cuts where possible.
- Cut Travel Expenses: Limit government travel, both domestically and internationally.
- Decrease Consultant Fees: Use in-house expertise more, reducing reliance on expensive external consultants.
...draws breath..... contd...
- Streamline Government Departments: Merge or eliminate redundant departments or roles.
- Digital Government Services: Move services online to cut administrative costs.
- Reduce Property Portfolio: Sell off or consolidate government buildings.
- Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings: Invest in making government offices more energy-efficient.
- Cancel or Delay Large Infrastructure Projects: Focus on necessary maintenance rather than new builds.
- Lower IT Costs: Standardize software and hardware across government to leverage volume discounts.
- Decrease Pension Commitments: Reform public sector pensions to reduce future liabilities.
- Eliminate Unnecessary Subsidies: Review and cut subsidies that are not providing sufficient public benefit.
Additional Savings Measures: 41-100.
These would involve further detailed policy adjustments, such as:
Tightening Tax Evasion Measures: Increase revenue by reducing tax evasion.
Reforming Welfare: Redesign welfare to encourage work, reducing long-term dependency.
Privatizing Non-Essential Services: Where privatization can reduce costs without compromising service quality.
Cutting Back on Cultural and Arts Funding: Redirect funds to more urgent public needs.
Reducing Grants for Charities: Focus on those directly alleviating poverty or health issues.
Improving Debt Collection: Both for public services and from international agreements.
Legislation to Reduce Litigation Costs: Simplify legal processes to reduce public expenditure on legal fees.
Reassess Military Spending: Focus on cost-effective defence strategies and equipment maintenance rather than new purchases.
Encourage Local Sourcing: For government contracts, reducing transportation and import costs.
Eliminate Redundant Programs: Review all government initiatives for overlap or redundancy.
This list is not exhaustive but provides a framework from which the UK government could aim to achieve significant savings. Each measure would need careful consideration for legal, ethical, and practical implications, and many would require significant political and public support to implement.