Even within austerity, Chancellor has choices: smooth curve of cuts and gradual debt reduction VS front-loading pain, to give Sunak room for a faux-mini-recovery and ‘giveaways’ before next election. Hunt plans to do the wrong thing *and in the wrong way*.

Austerity kills people. Last decade of cuts resulted in 335,000 excess deaths. Causing unnecessary misery to improve a PM’s election prospects is profoundly wicked.

https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_885099_en.html

Over 300,000 ‘excess’ deaths in Great Britain attributed to UK Government austerity policies

Recent evidence has shown people across the UK are dying younger as a result of austerity, with people living in the poorest areas hardest hit. A new study published today now quantifies the scale of these deaths.

@SturdyAlex"debt reduction " is absurd. See @RichardJMurphy
@GrahamSkeats @SturdyAlex @RichardJMurphy interestingly it seems this is a consensus that is accepted without asking why: why is debt reduction necessary? Even if you aren't aware of or don't believe #MMT to be true, it seems a valid question to ask.