“Troubleshooters are needed to spot failing academy schools around the country and sack incompetent headteachers, the new chief education inspector has said.” So reported the Daily Telegraph on 28 December. The article continued: Sir Michael Wilshaw said ministers must set up regional early warning systems because by the time his Ofsted inspectors discover an institution

The European Union has only one way out of the present financial, economic and institutional crisis: enlargement of its territorial borders bringing an infusion of 'new blood' and centralisation of management inside the EU, argues Dr Roman Rukomeda. More »

Recently I talked to many Birmingham manufacturers needing loans that used to be quite standard working capital, but are now refused. All complained that bank managers had no local knowledge, and were over-ridden by head office diktats wanting high short-term returns, with no risk. Hmm, over-centralisation, yes, it can be something of a problem. Project

There are lessons in the report for all policymakers. As the failure of the NHS private finance scheme has also shown, the government is an inept purchaser of private services: indecisive, ponderous, overambitious and wasteful. Mass centralisation does not reduce costs, but it kills flexibility. Under the national scheme, NHS professionals were given expensive systems

It is fashionable to ridicule David Miliband's search for a post-political career. But in yesterday's Daily Telegraph the former Foreign Secretary showed that, for his mistakes in office, his intellect, and judgement on a number of key issues, including how to bring the Afghanistan War to an end, was - and remains - razor-sharp. 'Afghanistan's battles are not just between the A...

After generations of creeping centralisation, devolution is welcome. But two agendas are at work here: increasing local autonomy and the government's deficit reduction programme

The European Commission's communication strategy is undergoing structural change in a re-branding centred on President José Manuel Barroso, increased centralisation of public communications, a new organisational chart and a key reshuffle of top officials, a person close to the matter told EurActiv.

Provincial cities are concerned that the redistribution of power from the state to the individual will undermine their decision-making ability

Most progress is being made by the government with demolishing the architecture of top down control and centralisation that the last government imposed on Councils. This week the Audit Commission was added to the RDAs, the regional housing targets and plans, the Comprehensive Area Assessments and many of the

European leaders have now agreed to bail out Greece in a coordinated affair, involving the IMF and bilateral assistance. The Times has written this up as a grab for more centralisation of policy-making by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, but even the Tories know that’s not true, as judge by William Hague’s calm remarks. Trying to understand the problems of the euro has sen...