City A.M. asked me to comment in advance of the Autumn statement. I wrote:
GEORGE Osborne will present his Autumn Statement to a country in the grip of a cruel economic delusion, perpetrated against the poor and the aspirational.
Welfare states everywhere are spending chronically beyond their means while papering over the cracks with easy money. Budget 2013 forecast spending in excess of receipts of about £9bn a month. Defence, criminal justice, local government and the Foreign Office have been squeezed. Two thirds of spending was expected on health, education and welfare, mostly pensions.
The sick and disabled, families, children and pensioners are reliant on these crucial services. With taxes already too high, government is critically funded by the bond markets. Those bond markets are in a dangerous bubble, deliberately inflated by central banks.
Read the rest of the article, which also sets out what to do about it: It’s time to end the cruel delusion of cheap money and reckless spending.
It’s good to see you writing some in the media Steve, I think you’re the best MP in Parliament. Going by your voting record and the private members bills you get involved with. However, one problem with you over say people like Douglas Carswell or Daniel Hannan is that you don’t do so much to get out and disseminate your message, so good to see you’re doing it a bit here.
Best of luck,
Paul
Thanks Paul. Douglas and Dan have had a head start but I will certainly try to catch up.