There Never Was A Reason For Austerity

[bainbrig]

There never was a good reason for 'Austerity', but the lie has been swallowed, hook, line and sinker.

It was a very good excuse, post the banking crisis (and did we really cause that ourselves?) for slashing welfare benefits, and generally cutting back on what the country was spending on services for its citizens.

So why don't Corbyn, Khan, and the rest, shout this from the rooftops?

Why does Khan allow the wicked cap on rates to remain? Most people would gladly pay a few pence extra on their rates/council tax, if it meant having decent policing, schools, or local services.

Has everybody gone mad?

(Oh, if you really want a 'News' tag, try the closure of many London police stations, caused so Khan says by government cuts and his inability to raise money on council tax).

[Grandpappy]

The Tories are the government and we're all in it together for the benefit of the many not the few and Yes we're all going mad but nothing beats a long term economic plan to enable billions of pounds to be invested; for the few, NOT the many ! So there!

[cassa333]

I for one don't agree with you.

Any person, household, business and even government has to cut its cloth according to how much money it has coming in.

I don't want to pay a penny more on my tax bill until the waste and largess of public bodies, such as NHS and policing and even education etc has been stripped away.

For far too long these organisations have expanded their fiefdoms to such an extent that they are now no longer able to be efficient. The public perception of them is such that they can do no wrong.

The sad thing is that there is no one in this present or future government with the balls to say it how it really is and make the changes needed to continue into the future. Not while sainthood is untouchable.

[ToraToraTora]

says who? do you have an article to discuss?

[hellywelly4]

I seem to remember the outgoing Labour party left a message saying something like 'sorry there's no money left'. Bit worrying don't you think? What was the incoming government (of whichever colour) supposed to do?

[Kromovaracun]

//So why don't Corbyn, Khan, and the rest, shout this from the rooftops? //

Corbyn does. The reason it is not a more widespread message is because the previous leadership under Miliband felt it would be pragmatic to "apologise" for something New Labour didn't really have any reason to apologise for (i.e. spending necessary amounts on public services as opposed to their irresponsible de-regulating of the financial sector). Once that ground has been conceded, you can't really credibly take it back regardless of what the facts are. So we're stuck where we are.

[Kromovaracun]

//I seem to remember the outgoing Labour party left a message saying something like 'sorry there's no money left//

This was an idiotic joke by Liam Byrne.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/09/liam-byrne-apology-letter-there-is-no-money-labour-general-election

The reason for the state of our finances in 2010 was because of the global crash in 2008 and subsequent bailout of banks (which consensus at the time said was necessary, and probably was). If you look at UK debt levels before that, they were pretty much at the OECD average (i.e. not as big or unwieldy as they sound).

[Spicerack]

'Why does Khan allow the wicked cap on rates to remain? Most people would gladly pay a few pence extra on their rates/council tax, if it meant having decent policing, schools, or local services.'

Have you ever paid any, brainy? I'm guessing not.

[Grandpappy]

'Fraid you missed the most important change Cassa, some years ago when Maggie introduced a 'mindset' of pure greed and avarice and played on the inherent 'greed gene' logged in everyones dna ( natural survival).Was she human?
I might point out that one of our elected MP's stated that a full -time working nurse only uses a 'food-bank', because they are there!

[ToraToraTora]

"There Never Was A Reason For Austerity" - is this a Revelation from an Economics professor or similar source or merely an ill informed statement of "fact" by the OP?

[cassa333]

Oh how people love to use MT as a reason for all perceived ills. Wasn't MT fault grandpappy. Modern life has just made greed mainstream rather than just for the rich, famous and powerful.

Greed has always been around and the NHS in particular has its fare share of proponents to it. Oh they like to dress it up as all sorts of good reasons but I would simply say to them, don't cut services, cut waste. But that would deminish their ego because the more money you are in charge of the more important it makes one feel.

[naomi24]

//There Never Was A Reason For Austerity//

Don't know why this is in 'News', but okay, that's bainbrig's opinion of austerity measures. Now what shall we talk about?

[Old_Geezer]

Governments are different to businesses/housholds. The latter's priority is to ensure they don't get into so much debt that they go bust, but governments must stimulate the economy so has to get the ball rolling by making investments for the future while all else are battening down the hatches. Responsible governments ensure there is enough tax collected during good times such that there is enough in the kitty to kickstart things during downturns. Irresponsible ones don't and have to decide whether borrowing to invest in the future is preferable to failing to sort the issue and putting everyone in the mire for an undetermined length of time, where the poor suffer and the rich find things slightly tighter than usual. Difficult call. The right tends to favour the latter, the left the former.

[Zacs-Master]

UFOs Naomi?

[naomi24]

If you like, Zacs ... but they're not 'News' either, so if you want to post a thread elsewhere I'll join you.

[New Judge]

"Most people would gladly pay a few pence extra on their rates/council tax,..."

I wouldn't.

I already pay just shy of £200 per month in Council Tax. That contributes towards just one fifth of the income my local authority gets, so it is getting the equivalent of £1,000 per household each month. For that I get my bins emptied (once a fortnight) and that's about it. And in any case the "rates" are no longer capped. Mine are expected to go up by about 4% in April.

Unfortunately there has not been any effective "austerity". Public spending still remains phenomenally high and far beyond the amount the country can afford. Local authorities and central government are notoriously bad at spending other people's money wisely but unfortunately they seem to measure their "success" mainly by how much money they spend.

[Togo]

Are you in employment dainbrig?

[Old_Geezer]

Surely can't be that high. Still only get bins emptied once a fortnight (woe betide anyone who misses the collection) and the street lights still go out before I get back home. Government must be rolling in it.

[naomi24]

OG, bin collections and street lights are your local council's responsibility.

[Old_Geezer]

It's all part of austerity. We're all in it together. Local tax needs the funds from wherever. Higher rates or greater central government contributions.