YP Comment: Tories and the public services. Theresa May's number one challenge

One reason is the Conservatives’ inability to counter Labour’s ‘spend, spend, spend’ approach to public services, despite Mr Corbyn not knowing the cost of his party’s plan to roll out free care to all two to four-year-olds. On the BBC’s Woman’s Hour, he floundered on his iPad for the answer before the interviewer told him it would cost billions according to his education spokesman Angela Rayner.

Even though Labour is planning to increase taxes to their highest level since the aftermath of the Second World War, Mrs May has consistently downplayed the importance of health, schools and policing as election issues.

This was self-evident when she was heckled by audience members during her Sky News and Channel 4 Q&A when a teacher from Batley and Spen asked the Prime Minister to justify cuts to school budgets. Though the PM claimed more money was being spent on education, this increase is not keeping pace with the number of youngsters being taught in the country’s schools.

Not only did Mrs May fail to explain this adequately, but she has consistently shown insufficient support for the teaching profession – the very people whose priceless work is in fact the foundation of every successful economy.

And this is the challenge facing the Tory leader. Though she’s winning the argument when it comes to Brexit, the PM still needs to convince voters that she has the best interests of Britain’s public services at heart. Simply criticising Mr Corbyn’s profligacy will not suffice, especially when the Tory manifesto – launched in Halifax – offered little clarity, the so-called ‘dementia tax’ being the obvious example, and no detailed costings.

BA’s reputation takes a nosedive

BRITISH Airways should be a symbol of national excellence. It’s not. This country’s national airline is in danger of becoming an international embarrassment following its IT meltdown, the cause of which has still to be satisfactorily explained. Though flights have returned to normal, it’s come at an immense cost to its reputation and financial health.

This was no minor technological glitch. Around 75,000 passengers, including newly-married couples embarking upon their honeymoons, had their travel plans ruined. This number alone equates to Harrogate’s entire population.

Yet, rather than keeping passengers informed, British Airways did the precise opposite. Stranded travellers reported telephones going unanswered – it now emerges that it cost them an extortionate 55p a minute for the privilege of contacting a hotline by mobile phone – and complained that the airline’s website did not function. Many have still to be reunited with their luggage.

This has been customer service at its very worst. For, while chief executive Alex Cruz says travellers will be recompensed, he has still to grasp the urgency of the situation. This matters. If the carrier develops a reputation for poor reliability and cost-cutting, even though he says the out-sourcing of jobs was not to blame, potential visitors from overseas will use rival airlines and choose other destinations for their holiday. As such, it can only be hoped that other organisations – both public and private – learn from this object lesson in how not to respond to such a shambles in future.

Town’s terriers

HUDDERSFIELD Town has already enjoyed a special place in the hearts of football devotees; this, after all, is the club which will always be synonymous with names as illustrious as Herbert Chapman, Denis Law, Bill Shankly and, of course, England’s 1966 World Cup hero Ray Wilson.

Yet the club’s return to football’s top flight for the first time in 45 years, and which was greeted with scenes of disbelief and delight at last night’s homecoming parade, was not just a triumph for the underdog Terriers; it was a victory for the sport’s romantics. Despite having the fourth smallest budget in the Championship, Huddersfield’s team spirit was priceless thanks to the players, back room staff, supporters and entire community buying into 
the philosophy of owner Dean Hoyle and head coach David Wagner pulling the strings.

Though it might be too much to expect Huddersfield to now do a Leicester City and win the Premier League, they have earned the right to live the dream. Long may it last.