The proliferation of quangos under the previous administration contributed hugely to the deficit that has all but crippled public finances in the UK. Funded out of taxes, they were launched without reference to any democratic process, often in the wake of pointless Whitehall requirements or EU directives.

The rash of self-important job creation that gripped town halls was masked, as usual, by the name-changing game: the moment you call the town clerk a ‘chief executive’ he or she will need an absurdly inflated salary, pension benefits and an entourage of functionaries to match that jumped-up status.