Peter Taylor-Gooby
, Professor of Social Policy in SSPSSR, gave the lead presentation to the opening session of the Fabian Society’s Commission on Public Spending Choices (chaired by Lord John McFall, previously chair of the House of Commons Treasury Committee) at the House of Commons on 20 November.
His research shows how the public spending plans of the Coalition will lead to rapid and continuing contraction of the British welfare state. Public spending in Britain, already below the level of spending in Greece, is expected on current trends to fall below that in the US and Spain by 2016. A recent blog post explaining some of these findings is available here.
Prof Taylor-Gooby explained, “The only other developed countries embarking on cutback programmes on this scale are those forced to as a condition of EU/IMF loans. It is unclear whether the cutbacks in public services necessary to achieve these cuts are sustainable.”