Philip Hammond is trying to hide the pain of austerity. Don’t fall for it | Faiza Shaheen
The chancellor, Philip Hammond, and his fellow Conservatives are being careful to badge the spring statement as a non-event - no tax or spending announcements. The budget in November was devoid of substance, and now Hammond will use his platform to tell the public - desperate nurses, struggling single mums, cash-starved local authorities - to wait. But given the mounting evidence that shows austerity is bad for the economy, growing public dissatisfaction, weakened levels of investment as well as the rising human costs - what is he waiting for? The truth is he's not waiting; he's trying to hoodwink us. There is no light at the end of the tunnel because since 2010 we have been in a tunnel that leads only to one place - a small state with government-sanctioned hardship and a weaker economy.
Related: Philip Hammond can't ignore the anger caused by austerity | Matthew d'Ancona
Ending austerity isn't just a matter of no longer cutting; it requires reversing the cuts and increasing spending
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