The demographic tide can’t be turned back, but its advance can be slowed – by the self-reinforcing triangle of stronger families, better schools, good jobs, and the stronger society that these help to build.
Since the landmark loneliness strategy in 2018, the priority and funding associated with the strategy have waned. The next election is an opportunity to do something about that.
Bevan’s cry that the Tories want to demolish the NHS was not heard on Friday when new private diagnostic centres were announced.
In the end, I’m with Nigel Lawson: these alternatives would produce marginal gains at best, and at worst decades of distraction from the real path back to a stronger health service.
An emphatic 66 per cent are opposed to LDNs – and a socking great 83 per cent to the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030.
The fact remains that the broad thrust of climate policy enjoys strong support from voters. YouGov polling shows that ULEZ is a rare example of an unpopular environmental measure.
The sad reality is that the NHS is marking its 75th anniversary with record levels of funding, record waiting lists, and record dissatisfaction.
The former Health Minister adds that “we are scapegoating the NHS with far too much of society’s problems.”
Above all, they shouldn’t become preoccupied with Woke to the exclusion of everything else. This is the trap that many Labour backbenchers and much of the Left is falling into.
A small sliver of the housing wealth that is largely in the hands of those of us who have benefitted from rising house prices would go a significant way to filling the funding gap.
Pharmaceutical interventions have their place, but a balanced and sustainable approach should focus on getting people active.
A modest (if growing) list of technocratic interventions will not be enough for the electorate, no matter how good they are in their own terms.
The second part of our series on reducing demand for government, in which we set out a programme for change – focused on families, civil society and government.