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. @michaelgove delivered the annual Ditchley Lecture last night. It was one of the most compelling critiques in modern times of the British state and its ability to deliver reform to tackle inequality. This is the "hard rain" coming to Whitehall very soon.
Some highlights:
Some highlights:
#1: The coronavirus pandemic is like the financial crisis, displaying our inherent weakness:
"During the epidemic we have been made more powerfully aware of entrenched economic inequalities across the globe, seen how fragile the networks of our interconnected world have become."
"During the epidemic we have been made more powerfully aware of entrenched economic inequalities across the globe, seen how fragile the networks of our interconnected world have become."
#2: FDR is Gove’s model. He is referenced ~18 times:
"FDR managed to save capitalism, restore faith in democracy, indeed extend its dominion, renovate the reputation of Government, set his country on a course of increasing
prosperity and equality of opportunity for decades"
"FDR managed to save capitalism, restore faith in democracy, indeed extend its dominion, renovate the reputation of Government, set his country on a course of increasing
prosperity and equality of opportunity for decades"
#3: After the Great Depression, Gove points out FDR restructured govt:
"Roosevelt recognised that faced with a crisis that had shaken faith in Government, it was not simply a change of personnel and rhetoric that was required but a change in
structure, ambition and organisation"
"Roosevelt recognised that faced with a crisis that had shaken faith in Government, it was not simply a change of personnel and rhetoric that was required but a change in
structure, ambition and organisation"
#4: Whitehall on the move - Gove says we should be "relocating Government decision-making centres”:
“Why shouldn’t some of the policymakers intimately involved in reshaping our approach to energy and the decarbonisation of our economy be in Teesside, Humberside and Aberdeen?"
“Why shouldn’t some of the policymakers intimately involved in reshaping our approach to energy and the decarbonisation of our economy be in Teesside, Humberside and Aberdeen?"
#5: More devolution is on the agenda - "diversity is strength"
"I also think we need to look at how we can develop an even more thoughtful approach to devolution, to urban leadership and allowing communities to take back more control of the policies that matter to them."
"I also think we need to look at how we can develop an even more thoughtful approach to devolution, to urban leadership and allowing communities to take back more control of the policies that matter to them."
#6: Gove reflects FDR (again) to sum up what the Johnson government is about:
"FDR asked his Government to remember the Forgotten Man. In the 2016 referendum those who had been too often forgotten asked to be remembered"
"FDR asked his Government to remember the Forgotten Man. In the 2016 referendum those who had been too often forgotten asked to be remembered"
#7: Gove will reform recruitment and retraining in the civil service
"There are a limited number, even in the Senior Civil Service, who have qualifications or expertise in mathematical, statistical and probability questions – and these are essential to public policy decisions."
"There are a limited number, even in the Senior Civil Service, who have qualifications or expertise in mathematical, statistical and probability questions – and these are essential to public policy decisions."
#8: Not hard to detect the hand of Dominic Cummings here:
"We need to ensure more policy makers and decision makers feel comfortable discussing the Monte Carlo method or Bayesian statistics, more of those in Government are
equipped to read a balance sheet."
"We need to ensure more policy makers and decision makers feel comfortable discussing the Monte Carlo method or Bayesian statistics, more of those in Government are
equipped to read a balance sheet."
#9: Gove wants to end the Whitehall merry-go-round:
“The current structure of the Civil Service career ladder means that promotion comes from switching roles, and departments, with determined regularity.”
“The current structure of the Civil Service career ladder means that promotion comes from switching roles, and departments, with determined regularity.”
#10: Gove also wants to tackle "bias of experimentation”
"We need to move to a system where those who propose the innovative, the different, the challenging, are given room to progress and, if necessary, fail. But we must then ensure that we learn quickly, adjust and respond"
"We need to move to a system where those who propose the innovative, the different, the challenging, are given room to progress and, if necessary, fail. But we must then ensure that we learn quickly, adjust and respond"
#11: Gove on his own failings:
"My first attempt...at a new history curriculum was deeply flawed, but the challenge it provoked improved on everything that had gone before. My cancellation of the Brown government Building Schools for the Future programme was a political fiasco"
"My first attempt...at a new history curriculum was deeply flawed, but the challenge it provoked improved on everything that had gone before. My cancellation of the Brown government Building Schools for the Future programme was a political fiasco"
#12: Hand of Dom Cummings again:
"There of course also a particular merit also in investing in the literal experimentation of pure science. As the success of DARPA in the US shows, sometimes by design, and sometimes by obliquity, hugely beneficial innovation can occur."
"There of course also a particular merit also in investing in the literal experimentation of pure science. As the success of DARPA in the US shows, sometimes by design, and sometimes by obliquity, hugely beneficial innovation can occur."
#13: Gove questions our current accountability mechanisms which discourages innovation:
"The default mechanism of the NAO, PAC, other select committees and various commentators is that any departure from the status quo must be assumed to be more downside than upside."
"The default mechanism of the NAO, PAC, other select committees and various commentators is that any departure from the status quo must be assumed to be more downside than upside."
#14: Where Gove advocates reform:
- Planning reform to fast track beautiful development
- Pioneer biodiversity net gain
- Better use anonymised NHS data to
improve healthcare delivery
- Allow parents to compare schools on value added, exam entries and
attendance
- Planning reform to fast track beautiful development
- Pioneer biodiversity net gain
- Better use anonymised NHS data to
improve healthcare delivery
- Allow parents to compare schools on value added, exam entries and
attendance
#15: More reforms from Gove:
- Compare individual courts, judges and CPS managers
- Assess real effectiveness
of anti-radicalisation programmes
- Look at value for money in the Troubled Families
- Interrogate defence procurement contracts are considered value for
money
- Compare individual courts, judges and CPS managers
- Assess real effectiveness
of anti-radicalisation programmes
- Look at value for money in the Troubled Families
- Interrogate defence procurement contracts are considered value for
money
#16: Gove sums up:
1. Make the Forgotten Man – the victim of crisis and inequality - first
concern
2. Transform Government to make it the efficient force for good
3. Experiment and explore different routes in a crisis to escape it and always place the emphasis on risk-taking
1. Make the Forgotten Man – the victim of crisis and inequality - first
concern
2. Transform Government to make it the efficient force for good
3. Experiment and explore different routes in a crisis to escape it and always place the emphasis on risk-taking
#17: Gove on why he is in politics:
“My driving mission in politics is to make opportunity more equal. I want to ensure that whatever their background, every child has the chance to succeed, and nothing we do should hold them back"
“My driving mission in politics is to make opportunity more equal. I want to ensure that whatever their background, every child has the chance to succeed, and nothing we do should hold them back"
Gove's full lecture can be found here, well worth your time https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/896041/Ditchley_lecture.pdf
And to all those pointing out “the Tories have been in power for decade”, this is further proof that Boris Johnson is leading a very different Tory government to 2010-2019.
And to all those pointing out “the Tories have been in power for decade”, this is further proof that Boris Johnson is leading a very different Tory government to 2010-2019.
