So much for the new kind of politics - Programme for government

AS a statement of intent, it looks ambitious. 

It looks as if it could be moderately transformative. It has something for nearly everyone in the audience. It makes all the right noises about pressing problems. Nevertheless the programme for government published yesterday looks like another in a long line of letter-to-Santa fantasies promising nearly everything except an occasional Lotto win for every family.

It promises a lot that is as commendable as it is justified. It promises a lot that should have been delivered by earlier administrations but was not. Crucially, the document does not give any great detail about how this Nirvana might be funded. As ever the devil is in the detail. As ever the greater challenge is in the delivery, not the happy, easy declaration of intent.