A Tangled Web

HEY BIG SPENDER!



It seems that Newsweek has rumbled Tony Blair. Mr. Blair, who cross-dresses as a Conservative but is, at heart, a good old socialist, has his dire economic record blown out of the water.



Consider this;



In 1998, the proportion of Britain's wealth spent on the public sector was 39.8%. Newsweek says this is "sensible" (I disagree - it is still way too high, but leave that aside for a moment).



In 2004, the proportion spent on the public sector has risen to 43%. By 2009, it could reach almost 50%!!!!



Blair has created 50,000 extra public sector bureaucrats (Mmm..wonder who THEY vote for?) and increased public spending by 63%.



Newsweek also points out that billions of pounds pumped into the public sector to improve service levels are simply paying wage increases.



Holger Schmieding, an economist at the Bank of America puts it this way;



"The UK used to be a low-tax low public-spending place, well suited to fostering the private sector. But over the past few years there's been a creeping convergence with the continent."



Newsweek suggests that the UK is a less "business-friendly" place with Chancellor Brown spending his way into future tax-increases.



Against this background, you'd think that a disciplined Conservative Party, with vision and talent, could make in-roads. I don't see that happening - but wish it would.