The Step Two Policy Project is a policy think tank that focuses on issues involving health, behavioral health, and human services in New York. We work to accelerate the adoption of good ideas.
Policy Project
"Letter from London"
Commentary #20 by Paul Francis
January 8, 2025
Introductory Excerpt
As some of you know, I have been spending half my time in London (watching my grandsons grow up) since I retired from New York State government in 2023. There is an old saw that the United States and Great Britain are “two great countries divided by a common language.” That may be true in many areas, including differences in the style of politics and government between the two countries at this moment in history. But when it comes to the actual public policy issues in the two countries, I have been struck by how similar the challenges are.
These policy challenges were described in December 2024 by the newly elected Prime Minister of the UK, Keir Starmer, in a “Plan for Change” that was presented in what has come to be known as the “Milestones speech.” Prime Minister Starmer’s Labor Party routed the Conservative Party, which had held power for 14 years, in an election last July. The “Plan for Change” set forth six “milestones” for progress to be achieved by the end of the current Parliament, with the general election to be held in 2029.
The six Missions and Milestones that were included in the Plan for Change can be summarized as follows:
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Raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom: The government aims to increase real household disposable income and GDP per capita across all regions by the end of the current Parliament, striving for the highest sustained economic growth among G7 nations.
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Constructing 1.5 Million new homes: A plan to build 1.5 million homes in England over the next five years, along with expediting planning decisions for at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects.
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Reducing National Health Service (NHS) waiting times: A commitment to ensure that 92% of patients receive NHS appointments within 18 weeks of referral, compared to the current average of 59%.
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Increasing police presence: Adding 13,000 additional police officers to enhance community safety and address crime rates.
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Decarbonising the energy grid: Achieving the goal of generating 95% of electric energy from renewable sources by 2030.
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Giving children the best start in life: The objective is to have 75% of children school-ready by the time they start school at the age of four, with a focus on early years’ development to enhance future educational outcomes.
There are nuanced differences between the UK and the US on these issues, but by and large, these are among the main challenges both countries face. I thought it would be interesting to examine the common underlying problems and the proposed solutions in the US and the UK. Because the focus of the Step Two Policy Project is really on New York, where possible, I’ve compared the UK (or, in some cases, London) to the situation in New York.
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