How the Tories will cut

How will the Tories cuts council work? The Guardian has an interesting piece today, laying out some contours (which will be not entirely unfamiliar to CoffeeHousers). But there is much more to the story – albeit a story which is still being moulded.

Much of Tory policy is being formed in response to what they regard as the structural failures of the Blair/Brown era.  George Osborne is keen to avoid what he regards as the dictatorial approach of Gordon Brown where ministers are handed their budgets and told to eat it. So he wants a more collegiate approach, and to this end has revived the idea of a ‘star chamber’ for spending – this idea was pioneered by the Thatcher government, chaired first of all by Keith Joseph and latterly by the Chancellor.

Here’s how it would work. The spending envelope would be set, in the Budget – but it won’t just be the Chancellor demanding cuts.