Comments on: Adonis http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:41:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: otto http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/comment-page-1/#comment-72722 otto Wed, 25 May 2005 16:23:44 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/#comment-72722 Well, I have mixed feelings about Adonis. He co-wrote a good book on the Poll Tax "Failure in British Government" which was about how the Government can do anything it wants, House of Commons, Lords, "Consultation", Courts, Civil Service, Media and Public Opinion be damned. Then he showed this was true accross a range of cases, by way of experiment, by being the mastermind for the introduction of tuition fees in England, even though there is very little support in civil society for this change. But I favour tuition fees for UK universities, even at a much higher rate than currently (more like up to pounds 8,000 a year, with no cut in current govt subsidy). It's the only solution to the persistent lack of government funding for UK universities (and indeed those across Europe). So Adonis's ideas and style of government have achieved important progress in UK education. Well, I have mixed feelings about Adonis.
He co-wrote a good book on the Poll Tax “Failure in British Government” which was about how the Government can do anything it wants, House of Commons, Lords, “Consultation”, Courts, Civil Service, Media and Public Opinion be damned. Then he showed this was true accross a range of cases, by way of experiment, by being the mastermind for the introduction of tuition fees in England, even though there is very little support in civil society for this change.

But I favour tuition fees for UK universities, even at a much higher rate than currently (more like up to pounds 8,000 a year, with no cut in current govt subsidy). It’s the only solution to the persistent lack of government funding for UK universities (and indeed those across Europe). So Adonis’s ideas and style of government have achieved important progress in UK education.

]]> By: nikolai http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/comment-page-1/#comment-72719 nikolai Wed, 25 May 2005 16:03:40 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/#comment-72719 <i>"The portion of the Queens Speech on Education has Adonis’s name written all over it."</i> Is this because it's a paragraph of bland, evasive, unspecific, nonsense? "Education remains my Government's main priority. My Government will further reform the education system to improve quality and choice in the provision of schooling, and build on the progress already made to improve educational standards for all." http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page7488.asp “The portion of the Queens Speech on Education has Adonis’s name written all over it.”

Is this because it’s a paragraph of bland, evasive, unspecific, nonsense?

“Education remains my Government’s main priority. My Government will further reform the education system to improve quality and choice in the provision of schooling, and build on the progress already made to improve educational standards for all.”

http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page7488.asp

]]> By: Simstim http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/comment-page-1/#comment-72717 Simstim Wed, 25 May 2005 15:50:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/#comment-72717 Blair, of course, only answers to the Commons. I wonder whether shifting Adonis to a traditional role within a high-profile department is more a symptom of the Blairite/Brownite/Otherite struggle going against Blair? With Blair's authority within the Government diminished, he needs his loyalists out "there" (relatively speaking) to ensure that he's not left out of the loop. Blair, of course, only answers to the Commons.

I wonder whether shifting Adonis to a traditional role within a high-profile department is more a symptom of the Blairite/Brownite/Otherite struggle going against Blair? With Blair’s authority within the Government diminished, he needs his loyalists out “there” (relatively speaking) to ensure that he’s not left out of the loop.

]]> By: Ginger Yellow http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/comment-page-1/#comment-72715 Ginger Yellow Wed, 25 May 2005 15:43:59 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/#comment-72715 "He has to answer questions in the Lords now, and resign if he misleads parliament or is personally responsible for a complete mess" Funny how that doesn't apply to Blair. Sorry, couldn't resist. “He has to answer questions in the Lords now, and resign if he misleads parliament or is personally responsible for a complete mess”

Funny how that doesn’t apply to Blair. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

]]> By: nikolai http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/comment-page-1/#comment-72713 nikolai Wed, 25 May 2005 15:39:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/05/25/adonis/#comment-72713 How much more accountable is Adonis now? He has to answer questions in the Lords now, and resign if he misleads parliament or is personally responsible for a complete mess, but that's about it. He's still a creature of the PM. How much more accountable is Adonis now? He has to answer questions in the Lords now, and resign if he misleads parliament or is personally responsible for a complete mess, but that’s about it. He’s still a creature of the PM.

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