Our research with low-income voters in some of these areas revealed that many are not expecting miracles. They simply want better local services.
Could more spending bring the economy back quicker? Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to ensure public finances are on a sustainable footing?
The OBR’s horrid forecasts of an output implosion and soaring unemployment will do nothing to quell Tory resistance to tougher Covid tiers.
How have think-tanks and campaign groups responded to the Chancellor’s fiscal and economic news?
He sought to unite the nation in a moral mission, “a common endeavour”, and to leave Labour with nothing to say.
“Today’s spending review also delivers stronger public services, paying for new hospitals, better schools, and safer streets.”
It’s baffling why think-tanks are taking the OBR assessments as truth, given its prediction record.
Before pumping more funding into the public sector, we must restore the habit of making sure we have the money in the bank before we start spending it.
It’s vital that on education, policing and infrastructure, as much clarity is given as possible to departments as possible in terms of long-term funding.
America’s result is having knock-on effects in Downing Street: see yesterday’s green speech and today’s defence news.
These are my starters for ten – so it’s over to you. What are the biggest choices? What are the problems that we have to get ahead of to keep afloat?
My front-line experience looking after the elderly showed me how a box-ticking culture is undermining carers.
If if the higher education sector must take some further pain in the spending review, then the last option is the least bad.
“I think the best way to do that, by the way, is to control public spending more tightly.”
Austerity era cuts have turned parts of the country outside the great cities into ‘deserts’, with no readily accessible support for millions of residents.