Section: Progressive Voices Articles

Hilary Evans of Age UK, Laura Weir of the MS Society and Stephen Burke from Counsel and Care comment after Andy Burnham’s proposed options to fund the Government’s care service scheme. 

Polly Toynbee and David Babbs of 38 Degrees comment on the BBC’s planned cuts to its output

Will Straw, Luke Akehurst, Paul Richards and David Hencke comment on David Cameron’s speech in Brighton, warning that to a backdrop of poor polls it could spur the Conservative party on

George Osborne claims to be acting responsibly, but his recent pronouncements seem to put him at odds with the IMF and the governor of the Bank of England. The economic recovery remains very fragile and rapid cuts in public expenditure will almost certainly push the economy back into recession. What all political parties need is a credible strategy for restoring growth and reducing the deficit. Balancing these objectives demands skill, wisdom and flexibility. Timing is everything and acting hastily in the service of an outmoded ideology is a sure recipe for disaster. Fiscal consolidation must be postponed to 2011-12.
David Coats, research fellow, Smith Institute