Kemi Badenoch on Cass - calls for review

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/148061a7-bcea-46c7-84e6-be6ee29d7ce2?shareToken=2f582f76ec269e6e20578142389f9472

'Over three decades, politicians of all parties have outsourced power to so-called independent institutions. They were meant to take the politics out of decision-making but have themselves become politicised often with little to no ministerial oversight. They are no longer impartial. As politicians ceded control, many institutions became captured by a minority of ideological activists. When ministers raise the alarm or intervene this is demonised by Labour MPs such as Yvette Cooper as engaging in “culture wars”.'

...

''It is also time for an in-depth review of decision-making across the public sector. How is it that senior leaders ignore the law and allow groups like Stonewall to make up what it should be?''

I think people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones when it comes to organisations being captured by an ideological minority.

I missed out this paragraph, which should be second between the two I quoted:

'At the heart of the Cass review is a failure of institutions to self-regulate. Ministers have intervened time and again but it is now time for leaders to step up and recover impartiality. It is time that the clinicians who refused to co-operate with Cass were held to account.'

Not sure what you're alluding to here but it's clear that the nhs was making extremely unusual decisions due to ideological motivations rather than evidence.

If you're trying to deflect it's not going to wash. This is about Cass and the safeguarding of vulnerable children.

Badenoch is crystal clear that the problem is cross party:

'politicians of all parties have outsourced power to so-called independent institutions. They were meant to take the politics out of decision-making but have themselves become politicised often with little to no ministerial oversight'

This is typical Tories.

Why is it outsourced? Because of David Cameron's "big society" agenda to get the "third sector" to pick up lots of work previous coordinated in the public sector and to decentralise and move to "small government".

Police and crime commissioners, GP commissioners, Academy trusts in education etc all happened under their watch and with their blessing.

Result is no standardisation of education, training being delivered by charities with variable standards. Complete collapse of CAMHS so distressed and ND children can't get any help. Challenges being bounced from pillar to post by the decentralised services saying "not my job"

Now they are pretending the last 14 years hasn't happened, the civil servants have gone rogue and its nothing to do with them. As if the ministers job is just to water pot plants, not be on top of their department and brief.

I really would like to see some concrete proposals from the Government about how this gets dealt with, rather than a load of hot air about how it's everyone else's problem but theirs. Are they going to put money into CAMHS to support distressed teenagers? Where should GPs be signposting children, what should they be dealing with themselves? Are they going to standardise education material, how are they going to do that in the absence of LEAs?

It is such a disappointing response from Badenoch and I can't believe it's taken her 4 days to issue that.

Whilst I agree that tories have fucked the system by outsourcing everything (though Labour came up with academies) surely it's better to have an independent review/ inquiry?

Result is no standardisation of education, training being delivered by charities with variable standards. Complete collapse of CAMHS so distressed and ND children can't get any help. Challenges being bounced from pillar to post by the decentralised services saying "not my job"

This absolutely did happen. At the same time, imagine what it would have been like if a captured gov that favoured centralisation had been in power?

Because this has been a social justice driven ideology, the left have been the ones driving it through.

We were fucked either way.

She is. And the article is clear.

I suppose the derailers and those who refuse to read the written words, would rather she'd sat on her hands. Or charged in and cut across her colleagues.

I would have thought there would be an order of things: the PM, the Health Sec, then others. Keegan has an article in the Sun today and I think hers plus Kemi's follow the expected pattern.

It's very welcome that she's calling for a review. I think we all know it must be a public inquiry though, but that won't be a decision she alone can make. She can, however, test the water (so to speak) with this article. I'm writing to my MP tonight, to support a public inquiry. SSUK have called for one just earlier, which I will add here in case useful for anyone planning to take similar action:

https://x.com/safeschoolsuk/status/1779470920609939958?s=46&t=WHoOZZ_3Kv5G6-FyQuvE0LQ

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/2024/04/14/the-cass-review/

I agree that there should be an independent review. However the fact she singles out a Labour MP when it is the Tory’s who have allowed this scandal to develop, is pathetic and needs to stop. They are in government, just get on and do the review!

At least Labours Wes Streeting admitted he got it wrong and has said all of Cass’ recommendations should be implemented.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/microsite/outsourcing_/story/0,13230,933818,00.html

Under Labour, billions of pounds worth of public services have been outsourced: the private sector runs prisons; local authorities outsource extensively, from housing benefits and revenue services to street cleaning and schools. Large IT contracts across government are let, almost exclusively, to the private sector. Charities run large chunks of the social services for the elderly and disabled.

This is an issue for both parties. Focusing on solutions rather than blame gets my support

Excellent re SSA asking for an inquiry.

Tories don't have long left in power. I wonder if there's time for them to get one established, with a good person in place to oversee it and a clear remit.

Jo Cherry said she expects there to be a statement or urgent question and she will bring up the need for a proper inquiry. May also be worth referencing if you're writing to your MP:

x.com/joannaccherry/status/1779133177237287380?s=46&t=WHoOZ_3Kv5G6-FyQuvE0LQ

https://members.parliament.uk/member/4597/contact

Details of how one can email KB here to urge a review/inquiry.

I just love her no nonsense take. And I love that she’s name checking @glinner

KB is a minister, so I understand that she is able to convene/establish an enquiry?

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn02599/

Power to establish inquiry

(1)A Minister may cause an inquiry to be held under this Act in relation to a case where it appears to him that—

(a)particular events have caused, or are capable of causing, public concern, or

(b)there is public concern that particular events may have occurred.

(2)In this Act “Minister” means—

(a)a United Kingdom Minister;

Yes. The enquiry was great. It should not have been necessary for Keira Bell and Mrs A to take the Tavistock to court to ensure gender distressed children are getting appropriate treatment. I'm so pleased they did and I'm so glad Dr Cass has produced the review.

What I want to see is the Conservatives, who are in power, taking it seriously and producing a plan to sort it out and implement the recommendations. Rather than using it as an opportunity to throw shade on everyone else for political point scoring.

Kemi should be having a word with Mordant, Noakes and Maria Miller before having a go at Anyone in the Labour Party.

This issue is too serious to be having a pop at others. As I said alert, just get on and DO the right thing ASAP.

Well said lizzie 💯 agree

No. Maria Miller/Theresa May tried to implement self ID.
The movement has been thwarted by feminist activism and women like Keira Bell/May Forstater/JK Rowling etc making it clear the damage that was being done.

This is not a left/right "capture" issue and it really boils my piss that the Conservatives are now cynically acting like they give a shit to win votes. I for one have not forgotten how Maria Miller treated feminists when she did her Gender Equality consultation.

Do you think that she is waiting for the public to demand it?

Agreed.

Although, to be fair, it does seem like she’s been doing that behind the scenes.

Realistically, no party (with any sense) is going to be throwing mud at their own side in the run up to an election.

But it is pretty galling for the party which has been in power for 14 years to be blaming everyone else for what’s happened on their watch.

I assume Big is referring to the Conservative party being captured by an ideological minority (which demanded a hard Brexit) and which wants the UK to leave the convention on human rights, that sort of thing. I understood Big to be making a point about irony.

That's non-statutory though. It wouldn't be able to compel people to take part. This needs to be statutory so that people have to turn up, and so documents don't accidentally get eaten by hungry support dogs etc

My MP is Crispin Blunt and since he lost the party whip and is no longer going to the House of Commons he doesn't bother replying to my emails, who else could I contact instead?

Thanks, so who calls one of them? The PM?