Austerity is a myth.

I agree niggly - this is becoming a habit

It's nice to have a bit of common ground!

True niggly

Crises of capitalism

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOP2V_np2c0

I think it's a rant against 'Tory's' [sic] and now we're all being called politically naive NIMBYs (with or without an apostrophe -it's too hot to care)

Austerity isn't a myth, try saying that to someone suffering the consequences.

What is a myth is that there is no alternative.

Austerity isn't a myth to those who suffered the consequences, but claiming that Osborne followed an austerity regime IS a myth, because he didn't raise taxes for the wealthiest and, therefore, didn't succeed in his aim to get rid of the deficit.

True austerity affects all sectors of a society and reduces demand. He only reduced for demand in certain sectors of society. His refusal to encourage more house building increased demand and prices.

The English Parliament? Why do you claim the English are more self centred than those in the other three countries of the United Kingdom

Perhaps because more of them are Tory's (sic) anniebach and the Tory's (sic) are supposedly more self-centred ?

Thank you for pointing us towards the political threads Elegran I don't think anyone noticed them before.

Has anybody got a plot, because I'm not sure what this thread is about? I think I lost it much earlier on, at the first post so to speak

I hope that parliament100 has also noticed them, Jalima and no longer feels that there is a gap that needs to be filled.

There's no such thing as an English Parliament.

The parliament that is based in England at Westminster is the UK Parliament.

I'll say again Austerity is just a media tag, the reality is that since Thatcher the right wing Tory's have initiated an ideological attack on all the social improvements built up by the Labour Government after WW2, and what's worse Thatcher, Cameron, and Osborne have got away with it..

What we are witnessing since the 80's is a dwindling State.

If you'd ever heard my father talking politics, P100, you'd have realised that some people thought that about the Tories long before Thatcher.

thatbags, It was Thatcher who in 1979 took the party to the right. And there it has stayed.

P100 historically the Tories were always the party of the right. Thatcher is modern history.

Agreed Anya and can't believe P100 believes differently.

I think the OP sentiment is not very clearly expressed.
If trying to argue that Osborne's austerity is a smoke-screen for pursuing the conservative agenda of "rolling back the state" I agree. And that Blair in some respects supported this agenda, although in a far less draconian form. Why roll back the state? Well either because you think the country had gone too far in the direction of looking after all citizens, including the poor, aged and vulnerable. Or because you want to reduce taxes for the weathier citizens. Or both.
Anyone else noticed that the Tory favourite word "reform" has now morphed into "modernisation"? Of course they both mean "cuts and privatisation"

JessM, What we have had in power since Thatcher is not Conservatism, it is right wing Torysm.

Aside from that, your response to my original post is spot on.

The Agenda since Thatcher has been to roll back the State in an ideological agenda to wipe away all the Social reforms that were built up by the Labour Government after WW2, and the Tory's have been using the deficit as a cover to achieve their right wing agenda. And your last sentence is also bang on.

What is austerity?

www.economist.com/blogs/buttonwood/2015/05/fiscal-policy

This is the size of the State.

Parliament, That table doesn't show all state spending. It only shows welfare spending. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.

Only percentages as well. The size of the state is 100%. Do not think so.

Here is a complete one.

www.theguardian.com/business/video/2016/aug/11/owen-jones-talks-to-ha-joon-chang-austerity-is-based-on-lies-video-interview

I'm not sure if anyone has already linked to these but I will do so anyway as it's important.

Austerity breaches human rights

The austerity delusion - Paul Krugman

Just watching the Owen Jones clip now :0)