© Jonathan McHugh

George Osborne’s cunning plan: how the chancellor's austerity narrative has harmed recovery

The Tories claim austerity saved the country from disaster. But Osborne's neoliberal right economics drew on discredited theories - and ultimately scuppered growth.

By Robert Skidelsky

The Osborne audit: what have we learned?
Ahead of this week’s budget, the economic historian Robert Skidelsky examines how four years of austerity have affected Britain.
By Robert Skidelsky
17 March
Osborne may gloat about recovery, but his “hard slog” will leave Britain worse off
The recovery of the British economy, which started under Labour, was aborted in 2010.
By Robert Skidelsky
30 September
An economy in crisis, a coalition in denial
As long as Cameron and Osborne are battling Vince Cable’s Lib Dems for control over the direction of Britain’s economy, the slump will persist.
By Robert Skidelsky
20 September
Plan B: Start a national investment bank
By Robert Skidelsky
18 October
The Osborne ultimatum
The ideas of two dead economists, David Ricardo and J M Keynes, are shaping the cuts debate. The coa
By Robert Skidelsky
31 March
A box of botched Con tricks
Defenders of George Osborne’s plans to hack back public spending cite the Geddes Axe of 1921 and the
By Robert Skidelsky
28 October
Deficit disorder: the Keynes solution
With the crisis in Greece as the trigger, the world monetary system is starting to disintegrate. Rob
By Robert Skidelsky
17 May