1. Income equality at 30yr low
2. 3+million more jobs - 3/4 full time
3. U.K. Economy growth (better than the economists predicted)
4. Deficit cut 2/3
5. Tax cut for 31m people
6. Record NHS funding
7. 1.8m more good/outstanding school places
I've said before I'm no Tory but the alternative to this would be in the hands of Marxist nut job who couldn't even answer a simple question on how much we spend on debt, he just cannot make the numbers add up he's totally clueless, if it wasn't for the likes of their fascists supports like Momentum the party would be exposed as the deadbeat phoneys they are.
Been a bit busy, hence the late reply. I'll go through your points one-by-one:
Point 1: Income inequality has recently fallen to lower levels than previously, but we still have one of the worst levels outside of the developing world. Increases in those on lower incomes have mostly been driven by the increase in incomes for pensioners which is not a bad thing, until you consider that working households are still worse off than they were before the financial crisis:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/10/uk-inequality-working-people-pensions-onsIncome aside, let's not forget that wealth inequality is accelerating, both inter-generational and as a whole.
Point 2: The unemployment figures remain a bit of a conundrum, especially when you consider that real wages are still falling. Full unemployment (which is where we are theoretically at) ought to lead to strong wage growth but it's not happening. Quite the opposite, in fact. Underemployment is still high (though falling) so that's not the answer. My guess is that the surge in 'self-employed' workers is one of the causes as the self-employed earn less on average than 20 years ago:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37678065Plenty of people are 'forced' to be 'self-employed' by the gig economy so this probably helps to explain strong employment figures alongside falls in wages in real terms. The low levels of unemployment are good, but the falls in wages show how weak the economy is once you scratch the surface.
Point 3: Not sure what you're talking about as regards economic growth being stronger than predicted? The exact opposite is the case as forecasts have just been severely downgraded. Were you not listening the other week to the budget?
https://www.theguardian.com/bu.....xit-productivity-ifsPoint 4: The deficit has certainly been cut, but at a fraction of the rate that Osborne 'planned' with his economically illiterate austerity policies. Something which Hammond has continued. As I've pointed out on numerous occasions in the past, it's certain that the austerity has not only led to a good deal of misery around the country (public sector pay freezes, lack of required NHS funding and so forth), but it just hasn't worked and we've been left with the weakest recovery from a recession for the best part of 200 years. You don't cut your way out of a slump as it is counter-productive. This is something that the OECD, IMF and even the ECB have now admitted. A bit too late, but there you go.
Point 5: Raising the tax thresholds is indeed good for many people, but as always, most of the giveaway goes to those who are already well-off. Higher-rate tax payers benefit most, those of medium incomes next and the lowest-paid (the ones who need it most) get pretty much nothing at all from it:
https://www.theguardian.com/po.....st-in-budget-changesI should also mention that if it is so important to cut the deficit ASAP, why this tax giveaway to the wealthy? Quite literally an example of taking from the poorest (though the benefit cuts earlier this year) to give directly to those better off.
Point 6: Record NHS funding? Well, if you're looking at basic numbers and completely ignoring the long-term trend, then I suppose you're correct. Here's a quote from the King's Fund which points out the issue succinctly:
Quoted Text
Though funding for the Department of Health continues to grow, the rate of growth has slowed considerably compared to historical trends. The Department of Health budget will grow by 1.1 per cent in real terms between 2009/10 and 2020/21 under current spending plans. This is far below the long-term average increases in health spending of approximately 4 per cent a year (above inflation) since the NHS was established. Under current plans, health spending per person in England will fall in real terms in 2018/19 and 2019/20.
When you've got an ever-aging population such as ours, health costs are going to continue to increase greatly so it's hardly surprising that the NHS is on the brink of a crisis considering the real lack of investment since 2009. Claims that nothing is wrong with our healthcare spending levels are mind-boggling. Anybody who believes this to be true has obviously not been to a doctor's surgery of late or had to visit a hospital.
Point 7: More pupils in 'Good' or 'Outstanding' schools? Not sure, really. Inspection practices have changed over the years which may have had some effect but could possibly be true because (as somebody who is married to a teacher), the workloads are ever-increasing and it's getting to a level not far off breaking point from what I can see. Put it this way, if these figures paint a true picture, it's miraculous. The pay freeze on teachers (which is to continue) and the hit on their pensions means that they are on average £5,000 per year worse off now than a decade ago (in real terms) and will be another £3,000 per year worse off by 2020. Way to go in rewarding the teachers for their good work, eh? That's austerity for you. As the IFS notes, spending on education is falling steeply:
https://www.ifs.org.uk/tools_and_resources/fiscal_facts/public_spending_survey/educationYour final comments about McDonnell show you're still missing the bigger picture here. As were those who leapt on him for not coming up with some bullshit figure when challenged. How could he possibly know what future debt interest costs would be in 5 years time? How could anyone? If he'd magicked up a figure out of thin air he'd have been criticised for something or other else. Really rubbish journalism from Neil, which is not surprising.
The point is that long-term gilts are selling at a rate that is effectively interest free so it is simply idiotic not to invest in our ever-crumbling infrastructure at this point in time. The multiplier will be as near as damnit to 1 so any spending will be recouped and it will provide a much-needed boost to the economy, especially with Brexit coming over the horizon. Another succinct article pointing out the idiocy of these particular attacks on McDonnell:
https://www.newstatesman.com/p.....-must-invest-economyFinally, 'fascists'? You seriously think that a load of Labour Party members (including those of Momentum) are acting like fascists? Don't be so silly.