Labour axes one quango – after creating 27
Sir Keir Starmer has announced plans to scrap one quango – after the Labour Government he heads created 27 in eight months.
The Prime Minister said he would “abolish” the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), which looks after payment systems such as Mastercard, to reduce the burdens on business and promote growth.
It will, however, merely be merged into another quango, the Financial Conduct Authority.
Ah, so he hasn't scrapped it, merely merged it. I didn't know there was a Payment Systems Regulator looking after payment systems such as Mastercard. A chap is bound to wonder what 'looking after' means here. Hmm...
I hope 'looking after' isn't anything like Rachel from Accounts 'looking after' our taxes...
Or David Lammy 'looking after' Chagos...
Or Yvette Cooper 'looking after' the immigration debacle...
Or Bridget Phillipson 'looking after' private education...
Or Angela Rayner 'looking after' housing policy...
Or Ed Miliband 'looking after' UK energy...
Or Lord Alli 'looking after' the Starmer wardrobe.
Or...
Or...
4 comments:
The Wikipedia entry for 'Commissar' throws up some thought provoking comparisons.
Creating QUANGOs to provide patronage for the minions who 'look after' the bureaucratic details for you. But patronage is not so easy to withdraw... My guess is that people within the current Payment Systems Regulator will not lose their jobs within the Financial Conduct Authority. But the 'authority' of the Financial Conduct Authority may be increased....
My prediction: nothing will change except the name on the front door.
So he's created 27 since he came to office?
I wonder which comes first - the task that presents itself, or the person who needs a job? It might be that they realise that some new chunk of legislation they have dreamed up hasn't got anyone to make it happen, so they scratch their heads for a bit and then call upon a member of the Quangocracy. Or they might have an existing list of Quangocrats who are demanding favours as a quid pro quo. Those good old boys and girls who bunged them a few quid, or testified about Boris's cake, or who kept quiet about marriages, flats, rows, voice coaches, etc. during the campaign.
I suspect they might be the ones who are being "looked after".
DJ - we can be pretty sure that they won't lose their jobs apart from a few allowed to retire and maybe some who ask for redundancy. Yes the 'authority' of the Financial Conduct Authority will be increased and senior staff will probably be happy enough to take it on. They may well have pushed for it.
Peter - that's about it, and the name plate will be new.
Sam - that's probably it, an existing list of Quangocrats demanding favours. Starmer will favour Quangos anyway, so a deal could have been an unspoken agreement, merely discussed obliquely over a quite drink.
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