Simon Parker
@simonparker.bsky.social
Public servant in search of a better future. Communities and service users first. Desires to unbuild walls.
It certainly doesn't seem to be having any impact on public confidence in teaching or nursing. Mori's veracity index shows public sector professionals remain very highly trusted. Whatever is going wrong probably isn't their fault.
October 17, 2025 at 2:27 PM
It certainly doesn't seem to be having any impact on public confidence in teaching or nursing. Mori's veracity index shows public sector professionals remain very highly trusted. Whatever is going wrong probably isn't their fault.
But I'm really not sure about some of the evidence being used to support this. Take this finding that public sector workers are more sympathetic to Hamas. So what? Why does it matter that teachers or nurses have this view? It's only significant if they act on it in the course of their work.
October 17, 2025 at 2:27 PM
But I'm really not sure about some of the evidence being used to support this. Take this finding that public sector workers are more sympathetic to Hamas. So what? Why does it matter that teachers or nurses have this view? It's only significant if they act on it in the course of their work.
The absolute bloody vandalism of austerity in one chart. Good analysis of the overall picture here.
October 15, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The absolute bloody vandalism of austerity in one chart. Good analysis of the overall picture here.
Turns out the establishment is composed entirely of public sector workers.
October 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Turns out the establishment is composed entirely of public sector workers.
He so nearly got there...
September 23, 2025 at 3:59 PM
He so nearly got there...
'The Puritans in the 17th century'.
September 15, 2025 at 4:06 PM
'The Puritans in the 17th century'.
Political violence is always and forever appalling and unforgivable, no matter who it's directed at. The Cato Institute has helpfully categorised politically motivated murders in the USA since 1975. Here is what it found. www.cato.org/blog/politic...
September 12, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Political violence is always and forever appalling and unforgivable, no matter who it's directed at. The Cato Institute has helpfully categorised politically motivated murders in the USA since 1975. Here is what it found. www.cato.org/blog/politic...
I think about this scene from Father Ted a lot at the moment.
September 4, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I think about this scene from Father Ted a lot at the moment.
She's the moment for sure. Just ask this London bobbie from the 1950s what he thinks of that saucy lump of toxic gases.
August 1, 2025 at 11:42 AM
She's the moment for sure. Just ask this London bobbie from the 1950s what he thinks of that saucy lump of toxic gases.
This chart tells us something important about the British political debate. The big state only really afflicts the top 10% of the income scale.
June 27, 2025 at 1:31 PM
This chart tells us something important about the British political debate. The big state only really afflicts the top 10% of the income scale.
Excited to discover that the UK remains one of the most centralised countries in the known universe. Thanks @oecdgovernance.bsky.social for the ever useful Government at a Glance.
June 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Excited to discover that the UK remains one of the most centralised countries in the known universe. Thanks @oecdgovernance.bsky.social for the ever useful Government at a Glance.
The UK reached record numbers of housing completions under the TCPA.
June 18, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The UK reached record numbers of housing completions under the TCPA.
Are we witnessing the slow death of the council tax? On the face of it #localgov doesn't do too badly from the spending review, but a lot of that new money is actually the government banking a universal 5% rise in council tax, 2% of which is a straightforward national precept for social care.
June 12, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Are we witnessing the slow death of the council tax? On the face of it #localgov doesn't do too badly from the spending review, but a lot of that new money is actually the government banking a universal 5% rise in council tax, 2% of which is a straightforward national precept for social care.
Certainly. On the left is Jules Pipe and the right Friedrich Merz.
June 10, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Certainly. On the left is Jules Pipe and the right Friedrich Merz.
Depends what we mean by middle class, but I think part of the problem is we've already rinsed higher earners and kept tax relatively low for the median.
June 3, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Depends what we mean by middle class, but I think part of the problem is we've already rinsed higher earners and kept tax relatively low for the median.
The number of civil servants has grown very significantly over the past decade. Some good reasons for this, but there is undoubtedly inefficiency in the system. We need a smaller, delayered and more focused civil service, with better pay.
March 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
The number of civil servants has grown very significantly over the past decade. Some good reasons for this, but there is undoubtedly inefficiency in the system. We need a smaller, delayered and more focused civil service, with better pay.
Left, Frederick Gibberd. Right, Jonn Elledge.
February 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Left, Frederick Gibberd. Right, Jonn Elledge.
Just spotted this on the other place and wowwww. Same post repeated an argument I fear we'll hear a lot, which is that government spending drives inflation.
February 6, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Just spotted this on the other place and wowwww. Same post repeated an argument I fear we'll hear a lot, which is that government spending drives inflation.
Yeah but why bother when this sultry temptress is a mere £3.14...
January 22, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Yeah but why bother when this sultry temptress is a mere £3.14...
The argument that UK school performance has improved dramatically is quite commonplace and the OECD is usually cited as evidence. There are the PISA charts and I don't see it. What am I missing? Genuinely curious.
January 8, 2025 at 11:23 AM
The argument that UK school performance has improved dramatically is quite commonplace and the OECD is usually cited as evidence. There are the PISA charts and I don't see it. What am I missing? Genuinely curious.
It's a longstanding problem which I tried to explain (with others) back in 2011... www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
January 7, 2025 at 2:06 PM
It's a longstanding problem which I tried to explain (with others) back in 2011... www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
“You‘ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who is coming to save you?”
I reckon they've got this...
I reckon they've got this...
January 6, 2025 at 10:02 PM
“You‘ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who is coming to save you?”
I reckon they've got this...
I reckon they've got this...
'Dad why is Xmas always suffused with a bizarre combination of twee silliness and existential dread?' Well kids wait until you see who's coming down the chimney...
December 20, 2024 at 12:15 PM
'Dad why is Xmas always suffused with a bizarre combination of twee silliness and existential dread?' Well kids wait until you see who's coming down the chimney...
There's certainly a case for saying that insurance schemes involve quite a lot more management overhead. I suppose insurers will have incentives to mitigate this by pushing down treatment costs, but that probably won't be as effective as a monopsony purchaser just capping overall spend.
December 17, 2024 at 4:51 PM
There's certainly a case for saying that insurance schemes involve quite a lot more management overhead. I suppose insurers will have incentives to mitigate this by pushing down treatment costs, but that probably won't be as effective as a monopsony purchaser just capping overall spend.