New policy advisers working on reforming pensions need no experience of policy or pensions to get the job. Figures…
HMT is hiring for a adviser in its pensions Defined Contribution Branch to formulate new policy. It has four main responsibilities:
Crucial in the job advert:
“You do not need to be a policy professional or have any specific qualifications to succeed in the role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and previous knowledge of pensions or policy making is not necessary. We are seeking candidates who can collaborate effectively to deliver against shared objectives, analyse information to draw evidenced conclusions and position their work in a wider context.”
The Civil Service stresses the postholder will have a lot of facetime with ministers and the job “likely to include presenting your ideas and explaining pensions and savings issues to ministers, and working with special advisers, press office and parliamentary teams to prepare Budget and/or Spending Review briefing for ministers.” Get ready for more half-brained Labour ideas on pensions – Torsten Bell is licking his lips…
Burnham announced yet another state-owned energy body in his conference speech last week. Before he builds another one, Guido took a closer look at the one that already exists…
The National Energy System Operator was carved out of the privately-owned National Grid and handed to the state on 1 October 2024. Less than two years later, it can’t forecast supply and demand, can’t meet its regulatory deadlines, and is now being investigated by Ofgem. During June’s heatwave, the grid came close to the edge. Claire Coutinho, Shadow Energy Secretary, told Parliament:
“I have been approached by multiple whistleblowers within our grid operator. Their allegations are: first, that on 23 June, the operator failed to meet the grid security standards put in place to prevent blackouts; secondly, that the corporate affairs team interfered with operational decisions—that is not something that the Minister denied—putting the reputation of the operator above security of supply; and thirdly, that operational decisions are being recorded in live documents, with no audit trail.”
Ofgem commenced a formal investigation two days later. A confidential report seen by The Times also found NESO is “flying blind” on forecasting, which pushes up bills and raises the risk of blackouts. It has also missed regulatory deadlines for the risk and electricity planning reports Ofgem requires. Its annual frequency risk control report has been suspended entirely… Chief executive Fintan Slye was set to get updates on the inquiry into his own organisation until an outcry forced him to step back. Meanwhile, as Guido revealed, NESO is spending £75,000 plus VAT hunting the staff who leaked the story, not investigating the near-miss itself. What could possibly go wrong with Burnham’s latest state-owned project?
The TaxPayers’ Alliance has launched a new report and handy tool to view the benefit spending breakdown in all the UK’s constituencies and local authorities. Here are the top ten:
Nothing to see here…
“Why would anyone set up a business in this country right now?”
A coup for the Tories…
UPDATE: Jeremy Clarkson and Charlie Ireland have appeared as surprise guests alongside Victoria Atkins…
UPDATE II: Griffith now onstage, lectern-free…
UPDATE III: Griffith announces an “ambition” to scrap 60% marginal tax rates:
“Today I can announce that we will scrap Labour’s family homes tax. Labour want to make homeownership more expensive, we want to make it more affordable.
“There’s too many other example in our tax system where taxes penalise values we should instead celebrate. We believe it’s unfair for anyone to face a situation where more than half of any extra income they earn goes to the Government. Some face paying 60 per cent on every additional pound they earn.
“Eliminating these rates will take time and the capacity to do so, but that is our ambition. That’s what we mean by lower, simpler and fairer taxes.”
The EU has introduced more than 25,000 new regulations since Britain left. Have fun rejoining, Andy…
Catherine McBride, free market economist and trade & agriculture expert, supplied the statistic at a Prosperity Institute panel at Tory Conference (‘Protecting prosperity and sovereignty: Is the EU Reset rejoin by stealth?’). To name but three:
Brexit veteran Lord Matthew Elliott also pointed out that people in the Rejoin camp still have a rose-tinted view of a 1990s/2000s EU dominated by Christian Democrats and Social Democrats. Good luck coping with the new Europe – especially now Spain’s Pedro Sanchez is on the way out…
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”