‘Fire ALL public servants who refuse to return to the office’

Rishi Sunak’s new challenge is to raise Britain’s spirits (Image: GETTY)Well, she certainly raised taxes and cut spending in her initial assault on inflation. But there is a world of difference between what she faced and Britain’s present crises. To start with, she was not responsible for the economic mess and utter chaos being caused by trade union abuse of power and the inability of Labour to control its financiers. People doubted whether the UK was governable any more. Today the Tories have been in power for 12 years. It is their mess and the main doubt in the public’s mind is whether, after four Prime Ministers in four years and three in a few months, they have the will or the discipline to govern.This is a very dangerous state to be in. Whereas Mrs Thatcher could rely on a certain public indulgence, as distinct from the hostility of the Wets in her party – the people thought she deserved her chance – the present government has had umpteen chances to get things right, How many more are they entitled to expect?  It is, of course, true that the Tories were not responsible for the covid pandemic or Vladimir Putin’s invasion of the Ukraine that has given such a cruel twist to inflation. And some of our social problems – notably, illegal immigration and the reduced service from GPs – lie at the door of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. But the general state of the country shows that Tory government has not exactly distinguished itself these past few years.All this suggests to me that Mr Sunak has decided to go for broke.He will take desperate measures now – and the pain to come for all of us – in the hope that by the next election in 2024 he can demonstrate that his responsible action has put us in a position to embark on a host of badly needed reforms.It is a frightful gamble which may have come far too late, thanks to this year’s eternal party squabbling.But there is a certain logic to it, given the state of the Labour Party and the threat of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats that almost certainly would produce proportional representation (PR) and eternally weak government thereafter.This in turn raises three questions: will the Autumn Statement’s ‘there is no alternative’ turning of the screw work? Will the Tory Parliamentary Party rally behind the measures as their one and only chance of redemption?And has it the gift of the gab to sell what it is doing as essential for the public good in view of the covid financial legacy and Putin’s threat to world peace?Well, wonders never cease. But they will have to prove they mean business. They cannot do that unless they really get tough with illegal immigration, an NHS top heavy with bureaucrats, police forces that often make a mockery of law and order in their indulgences, academia’s war on free speech, Civil Servants working from home as services deteriorate and the EU’s continuing interference with British sovereignty in Northern Ireland.If they threatened to ban strikes in the public services if the present epidemic of disruption continues and generally hold those responsible for inadequate service liable for the sack, the public might be impressed. For, unless I am much mistaken, the majority of the populace is desperate for the smack of firm government.It would do something to make the economic hardship to come seem worthwhile.Since money is so tight, the Government could usefully strengthen its grip on institutions that are manifestly failing the nation. Dock a few millions in grants from any university that countenances the ‘cancel culture’, doubling the penalty for repeat performances; have a clear out of all those publicly-funded institutions that can find time to indulge the hypersensitive instead of provide efficient services; pour encourager les autres, give the mandarin who countenanced the issue of supportive bedtime stories for Civil Servants five minutes to clear his desk; fire all those public servants who refuse to return to the office; and inform the French and the EU that continued problems over illegal immigrants and British trade with Northern Ireland will bring a severe reduction in our Brexit severance liability.A government that can show that it is back in the business of setting standards and upholding them instead of tolerating all sorts of sloppy behaviour will have a chance at the next election.A government that thinks all it has to do is to rebalance the economy is doomed. Man does not live by bread alone. His spirit matters, too. The Tories’ new challenge is to raise Britain’s spirits.