Is austerity working- and will it ever end?

[Anna B]

Austerity was a Tory con. It didn't need to happen. In fact it has added to the problem, but it suited the Tory and Establishment agenda - a further move towards Neoliberalism - every man for himself, winner takes all. Austerity has mostly affected the lower echelons of society and left those nearer the top untouched. In fact during this period of 'Austerity,' the richest have got even richer off the back of it.

No wonder the Tories don't want it to stop, and are therefore at great pains to stop Jeremy Corbyn from getting in.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Anna B

[Cyclone]

I don't often agree with you Anna B, but you're dead right this time.

[Robin-H]

6 hours ago, Anna B said:

Austerity was a Tory con. It didn't need to happen. In fact it has added to the problem, but it suited the Tory and Establishment agenda - a further move towards Neoliberalism - every man for himself, winner takes all. Austerity has mostly affected the lower echelons of society and left those nearer the top untouched. In fact during this period of 'Austerity,' the richest have got even richer off the back of it.

No wonder the Tories don't want it to stop, and are therefore at great pains to stop Jeremy Corbyn from getting in.

Income equality has decreased since 2010.  

 

The richest are paying a higher share of the tax than before. 

 

Is that the ‘establishment agenda’.? 

[Cyclone]

Sounds like regression to the mean though

Quote

 

Inequality in Recent Years

Since the early 1990s, changes in inequality have been less dramatic than the change from 1979 to 1991. After falling slightly over the early to mid-1990s, inequality, as shown by the Gini coefficient, reached a new peak of 0.358 in 2009–10. Inequality fell in 2010 and has stayed relatively level since.
 

 

It appears to be a common view that austerity does not help to reduce inequality.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/14/un-report-attacks-austerity-budgets-for-growing-inequality

Edited March 15, 2019 by Cyclone

[Robin-H]

2 minutes ago, Cyclone said:

Sounds like regression to the mean though

 

 

 

 

The point is that income inequality hasn’t increased since 2010 (indeed it has been reduced).  That is under years of Tory government. 

 

This is down to the fact that the minimum wage has increased above inflation and that  millions of the lowest paid have been taken out of paying income tax altogether. 

 

It isnt inspite of policy, it is directly because of it. 

 

Also, I’ll repeat that the richest are paying a higher share of the tax than ever before. Again, under years of Tory government. 

 

If it’s the ‘establishment agenda’ to crush the poor and redistribute that all to the rich they aren’t doing a very good job. 

[woodview]

To help this debate, can people explain what they actually mean by 'austerity' . Does it mean spending the same / less than the government earns, or something else.

[Bob Arctor]

I've been badgering one of our councillors for a couple of litter bins on Rock Street in Pitsmoor - he's told me the Council have no money to install a bin. Not even one bin. SCC are on the verge of bankruptcy: the new financial year's budget will be a deficit budget, i.e. they will have to start using up reserves. Two Tory councils have already gone to the wall, many more councils will follow due to austerity, i.e. being starved of funds. Councils provide essential services like social care and street sweeping, who is going to do these if the council goes bust? I know people who are too ill to go for a mental health assessment but there is no-one to go and see them at home so they are just left. Disabled people in Sheffield are being turned away for help and left to try to manage without support. And it's got worse every year.

[woodview]

38 minutes ago, Bob Arctor said:

I've been badgering one of our councillors for a couple of litter bins on Rock Street in Pitsmoor - he's told me the Council have no money to install a bin. Not even one bin. 

With what you know about their dire lack of funds, and inability to provide critical services for those in desperate need, I'm surprised you were asking for resources to be used on litter bins.

[Bob Arctor]

5 minutes ago, woodview said:

With what you know about their dire lack of funds, and inability to provide critical services for those in desperate need, I'm surprised you were asking for resources to be used on litter bins.

Welcome to Britain, where clean streets are a "waste of money"

[woodview]

2 minutes ago, Bob Arctor said:

Welcome to Britain, where clean streets are a "waste of money"

That's not what I said is it.

Welcome to Pitsmoor, where we have new litter bins, instead of critical services.