The council debt crisis is of the government’s own making
The abolition of the Audit Commission, and the squeeze on local authority budgets, has doubled the sector’s liabilities.
ByAusterity
Austerity is a set of political-economic policies that cut government spending. These polices aim to reducing government budget deficits and the role of the welfare state. In the UK, austerity was most recently implemented from 2010-19 under, respectively, the coalition and Conservative governments, and again in 2021 to the present. Here you can find all of our latest news, analysis and comment about austerity.
Teresa Thornhill: “The system keeps some children safe, but fails others”
The former child protection lawyer on how overstretched social services endanger families.
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Even Tories are disowning austerity
The legacy of 14 years in power is hanging heavily on the party.
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Austerity is coming for Europe
Heed Germany’s lesson: when austerity bites, investment is the first thing to go.
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Tired stereotypes of the long-term sick have returned
To reduce the rise in economic inactivity, people need holistic support not punitive sanctions.
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The Research Brief: How the average Briton became £10,200 worse off
Your weekly dose of policy thinking.
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How the local government finance settlement would leave poorer authorities worse off
Conservative MPs are demanding emergency funding in response to devolved finance proposals that penalise poorer councils.
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Why Keir Starmer won’t bash “woke” charities
After years of Tory cuts, Labour needs to repair the relationship between government and civil society.
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The Research Brief: health inequalities linked to over a million early deaths
Your weekly dose of policy thinking.
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In 2024, Labour must offer hope
If all Keir Starmer’s party promises is a second age of austerity, voters will soon abandon it.
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David Cameron is a symbol of a broken economic model
The new Foreign Secretary is the architect of low-productivity, low-investment, low-waged Britain. It’s time to break with the failed experiment.
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The NHS workforce may have grown but so have its vacancies
Despite staffing levels increasing over the past 13 years, the health service’s supply is not keeping up with demand.
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Councils are the victims not the cause of their poor finances
National government blames local mismanagement, but the problems in local authorities stem from years of underinvestment.
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The first thing Labour should do with power? Give it away
We need to rewire our politics to create the fairer society Labour was formed to strive for.
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In austerity Britain, councils have sold off billions in public assets
We are still paying the price for cuts to public services – we must boost power locally to redress this.
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Ed Davey: “Voters are not blaming Brexit”
The Lib Dem leader on where his party now stands on Europe and whether he regrets backing austerity.
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The Policy Ask with Michael Marmot: “Listen to advice from older people, but feel free to ignore it”
The professor of health inequalities on telling the truth, knowing the numbers, and staying close to the evidence.
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The school concrete crisis should terrify the Tories
Public discussion is now focused on the Conservatives’ biggest weakness: the cost of austerity.
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Austerity is about to return to Europe
The political fallout from the reimposition of the EU’s fiscal rules will be toxic.
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Broke Britannia
Britain is trapped in a cycle of inflation and economic pain. What will it take to break it?
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