Even the FT gets the unfairness of today’s budget. As it reports:
Mr Osborne will set out a “Budget for a parliament”. But he will insist that the Budget is “progressive” in intent, and will ensure that the poor and Britain’s economic future are not sacrificed in his attempt to balance the books.
Such a combination of tax and spending measures would, however, imply huge cuts of 20 per cent or more in real departmental spending over four years, or a combination of smaller cuts and larger reductions in welfare spending.
Spending cuts of such a scale could not be presented as “progressive” because public spending is concentrated in poorer areas and poorer families, suggesting that the Budget will have a sting in the tail.
Exactly so.
Fairness and progressivity are impossible when imposing cuts of the level planned.
Those on average incomes and those on low incomes are going to be hit very, very hard today.
And that is wholly unjust.
There is an alternative. Caroline Lucas MP and I have shown this can all be done, when needed, by raising tax. This pain is, therefore, a choice that Gorge Osborne has made. He has chosen to inflict untold economic and social damage on the UK. He has chosen undermine our society. We should never forget the fact that none of this pain is necessary.
