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Budget shows Tories' true colours Budget shows Tories' true colours
(8 days later)
George Osborne's latest budget confirms that austerity policies are set to continue for years to come (Budget 2013, 20 March). This is a call from economists and academics to all those millions of people in Britain who face an impoverished and uncertain year as their wages, jobs, conditions and welfare provision come under renewed attack by the government. It is important that people understand that there is a large body of opinion against these policies.George Osborne's latest budget confirms that austerity policies are set to continue for years to come (Budget 2013, 20 March). This is a call from economists and academics to all those millions of people in Britain who face an impoverished and uncertain year as their wages, jobs, conditions and welfare provision come under renewed attack by the government. It is important that people understand that there is a large body of opinion against these policies.
With some 80% of austerity measures still to come, and with the government lengthening the time they expect cuts to last, we are calling a people's assembly against austerity to bring together campaigns against cuts and privatisation with trade unionists in a movement for social justice. We aim to develop a strategy for resistance to mobilise millions of people against the Con Dem government.
Professor Ha-Joon Chang Cambridge
Professor Hugo Radice Leeds
Professor Stephanie Blankenburg SOAS
Professor Ian Gough LSE
Tom Lines Economic consultant
Professor George Irvin SOAS
Professor Malcolm Sawyer Leeds
Senior lecturer David Hudson UCL
Professor Diane Elson Essex
Professor Sergio Rossi Fribourg
Professor Andrew Dobson Keele
Professor Frances Stewart Oxford
Professor Alan Freeman London Metropolitan
Sir Anthony Atkinson Oxford
Professor Christine Cooper Strathclyde
Dr Bruce Philip NTU
Professor John Weeks SOAS
Molly Scott-Cato Gaia economics
Professor Simon Mohun London
Professor Giuseppe Fontana Leeds
Diego Sanchez-Conchea Oxford
Professor Victoria Chick UCL
Michael Burke Economic consultant
Professor Simon Lilley Leicester
Professor Andy Denis City
Richard Wolff
Senior lecturer John Simister MMU
Professor Colin Richardson Imperial
Professor John Ross Shanghai
Professor Matthew Watson Warwick
Dr Julian Wells Kingston
Professor Judith Clifton Cantabria
Professor David Byrne Durham
James Meadway Senior economist, Nef
Professor Andrew Cumbers Glasgow
Professor Mario Seccareccia Ottawa
Associate professor Anitra Nelson RMIT
Ann Pettifor PRIME
Dr Theodore Koutsobinas UWG
Professor Guglielmo Davanzati Salento
Professor Hartmut Elsehans Leipzig
Professor Julie Matthaei Wellesley
Professor David Harvey CUNY
Professor Raphael Kaplinsky Open University
Professor David Gleicher Adelphi
Professor Geoffrey Harcourt UNSW
Adjunct professor Steven Hail Adelaide
Professor Noemi Levy-Orlik UNAM
Professor Stefano Lucarelli Bergamo
Associate professor Louis-Philippe Rochon Ontario
Roy Rotheim Skidmore
Professor Judith Mehta
Dr Hideo Shingu Kyoto
Professor Daniel Diaz-Fuentes Unican
Professor Riccardo Bellofiore Bergamo
Professor Alan Ciblis UNGS
Dr Jesus Munoz Lancaster
Professor Mary Mellor Northumbria
Dr Veronica Villarespe UNAM
Arturo Hermann
Dr Pritam Singh Oxford
Professor John King La Trobe
Professor Elizabth Dore Southampton
With some 80% of austerity measures still to come, and with the government lengthening the time they expect cuts to last, we are calling a people's assembly against austerity to bring together campaigns against cuts and privatisation with trade unionists in a movement for social justice. We aim to develop a strategy for resistance to mobilise millions of people against the Con Dem government.
Professor Ha-Joon Chang Cambridge
Professor Hugo Radice Leeds
Professor Stephanie Blankenburg SOAS
Professor Ian Gough LSE
Tom Lines Economic consultant
Professor George Irvin SOAS
Professor Malcolm Sawyer Leeds
Senior lecturer David Hudson UCL
Professor Diane Elson Essex
Professor Sergio Rossi Fribourg
Professor Andrew Dobson Keele
Professor Frances Stewart Oxford
Professor Alan Freeman London Metropolitan
Sir Anthony Atkinson Oxford
Professor Christine Cooper Strathclyde
Dr Bruce Philip NTU
Professor John Weeks SOAS
Molly Scott-Cato Gaia economics
Professor Simon Mohun London
Professor Giuseppe Fontana Leeds
Diego Sanchez-Conchea Oxford
Professor Victoria Chick UCL
Michael Burke Economic consultant
Professor Simon Lilley Leicester
Professor Andy Denis City
Richard Wolff
Senior lecturer John Simister MMU
Professor Colin Richardson Imperial
Professor John Ross Shanghai
Professor Matthew Watson Warwick
Dr Julian Wells Kingston
Professor Judith Clifton Cantabria
Professor David Byrne Durham
James Meadway Senior economist, Nef
Professor Andrew Cumbers Glasgow
Professor Mario Seccareccia Ottawa
Associate professor Anitra Nelson RMIT
Ann Pettifor PRIME
Dr Theodore Koutsobinas UWG
Professor Guglielmo Davanzati Salento
Professor Hartmut Elsehans Leipzig
Professor Julie Matthaei Wellesley
Professor David Harvey CUNY
Professor Raphael Kaplinsky Open University
Professor David Gleicher Adelphi
Professor Geoffrey Harcourt UNSW
Adjunct professor Steven Hail Adelaide
Professor Noemi Levy-Orlik UNAM
Professor Stefano Lucarelli Bergamo
Associate professor Louis-Philippe Rochon Ontario
Roy Rotheim Skidmore
Professor Judith Mehta
Dr Hideo Shingu Kyoto
Professor Daniel Diaz-Fuentes Unican
Professor Riccardo Bellofiore Bergamo
Professor Alan Ciblis UNGS
Dr Jesus Munoz Lancaster
Professor Mary Mellor Northumbria
Dr Veronica Villarespe UNAM
Arturo Hermann
Dr Pritam Singh Oxford
Professor John King La Trobe
Professor Elizabth Dore Southampton
• George Osborne, defending his policy of austerity, emphasises that there is no miracle cure. I do not know who these advocates of miracle cures may be, but I suggest their views can be reasonably ignored in favour of the views of those who hold that there is another way – taking steps to encourage growth of production and wealth, and thus increasing the power to reduce the national deficit without all the pain he is inflicting on the poor and innocent. In short, by following the teaching of JM Keynes.• George Osborne, defending his policy of austerity, emphasises that there is no miracle cure. I do not know who these advocates of miracle cures may be, but I suggest their views can be reasonably ignored in favour of the views of those who hold that there is another way – taking steps to encourage growth of production and wealth, and thus increasing the power to reduce the national deficit without all the pain he is inflicting on the poor and innocent. In short, by following the teaching of JM Keynes.
No one is suggesting that the austerity path may not eventually end in success. Pre-Keynesian economic policies practically accepted booms and slumps as almost a law of nature. Osborne's policy resembles the plan of a man deciding to journey from London to New York by travelling eastwards. Eventually he may arrive and claim that his method was a success. But there really is a better way.
Francis Westoby
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
No one is suggesting that the austerity path may not eventually end in success. Pre-Keynesian economic policies practically accepted booms and slumps as almost a law of nature. Osborne's policy resembles the plan of a man deciding to journey from London to New York by travelling eastwards. Eventually he may arrive and claim that his method was a success. But there really is a better way.
Francis Westoby
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
• Among the economic gloom announced by the chancellor, there was one welcome piece of news for the fast-growing co-operative sector. The government announced a consultation on a much-overdue increase in the amount of money that members of co-operatives can invest. This vital change will be a boost to the growth and development of co-operative enterprises with farmers' co-operatives and local communities clubbing together to save shops and services. A co-operative renaissance is underway as people seek out businesses they can trust.
Ed Mayo
Secretary general, Co-operatives UK
• Among the economic gloom announced by the chancellor, there was one welcome piece of news for the fast-growing co-operative sector. The government announced a consultation on a much-overdue increase in the amount of money that members of co-operatives can invest. This vital change will be a boost to the growth and development of co-operative enterprises with farmers' co-operatives and local communities clubbing together to save shops and services. A co-operative renaissance is underway as people seek out businesses they can trust.
Ed Mayo
Secretary general, Co-operatives UK
• Last year the US Congressional Research Service published data showing there is no relationship between low rates of income tax and an improved economy. The period studied was the 1940s to 2010. The marginal rate of tax of 90% was maintained for 20 years after the war and fell to around 75% for the next 10.• Last year the US Congressional Research Service published data showing there is no relationship between low rates of income tax and an improved economy. The period studied was the 1940s to 2010. The marginal rate of tax of 90% was maintained for 20 years after the war and fell to around 75% for the next 10.
There were similar rates in western Europe compounded in Britain at least with very heavy debt that was not cleared till 2002. I seem to remember a top rate of 98% here. Yet those 30 years transformed life for the better with the creation of welfare states, much reduced inequality, and amazing growth and prosperity.
Katerina Porter
London
There were similar rates in western Europe compounded in Britain at least with very heavy debt that was not cleared till 2002. I seem to remember a top rate of 98% here. Yet those 30 years transformed life for the better with the creation of welfare states, much reduced inequality, and amazing growth and prosperity.
Katerina Porter
London
• Yet again Osborne has elected to use taxpayers' money to subsidise those who own land and buildings. Would-be home-owners do not need help to get into debt, they need houses to come down to prices they could afford without government interference. If there is money to spend on economic infrastructure, the housing market is a prime candidate – spend the money not on mortgages (debt) but on new housing (investment), and keep it safe from the greedy paws of the private sector.
Richard Haggis
Oxford
• Yet again Osborne has elected to use taxpayers' money to subsidise those who own land and buildings. Would-be home-owners do not need help to get into debt, they need houses to come down to prices they could afford without government interference. If there is money to spend on economic infrastructure, the housing market is a prime candidate – spend the money not on mortgages (debt) but on new housing (investment), and keep it safe from the greedy paws of the private sector.
Richard Haggis
Oxford
• I do not understand what all the worry's about because after 6 April the economy will go roaring away. Why? Because in the new tax year that nice Mr Osborne has reduced the tax rate for high earners from 50% to 45%.
Rupert Sheppard
Rochdale, Lancashire
• I do not understand what all the worry's about because after 6 April the economy will go roaring away. Why? Because in the new tax year that nice Mr Osborne has reduced the tax rate for high earners from 50% to 45%.
Rupert Sheppard
Rochdale, Lancashire
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