The chancellor’s budget statement is not what we expect from politicians who claim that theirs is the real party of public services
The article Blog: A masterclass in smoke and mirrors first…Read more…
Blog: The government tries to look like it’s giving, but it’s taking away
Ahead of the spending review, UNISON is calling on the chancellor to rebuild our public services
The article Blog: The government tries to look like it’s giving, but it’s taking away first appeared…Read more…
Reality check: public sector pay freeze
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a public sector pay freeze in the government’s spending review last week, backed up by some claims that need further analysis
The article Reality check: public…Read more…
Government’s ‘levelling up agenda in tatters’
Chancellor Rishi Sunak yet again failed to offer the level of ambition necessary to rebuild a shattered economy, while also targeting the lowest paid to bear the brunt of the crisis despite their…Read more…
Chancellor has ‘the power and the responsibility to renew our country’
Unite has urged chancellor Rishi Sunak to reject a return to austerity ahead of his comprehensive spending review on Wednesday (November 25) amid reports that the latest announcements will hit the…Read more…
Unite GS to chancellor: ‘In this time like no other we need action like no other’
Ahead of the comprehensive spending review (CSR) on Wednesday (November 25), Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has written to chancellor Rishi Sunak calling on him to use the power of his office…Read more…
Taking UNISON’s demands to the Treasury
UNISON makes submission to the government’s comprehensive spending review
The article Taking UNISON’s demands to the Treasury first appeared on the UNISON National site.Read more…
#SpendingReview 2015 – the Touchstone blog round up
George Osborne’s first Spending Review of the new parliament has hit the headlines for his spectacular U-turn over drastic cuts to tax credits. It avoids the hardship it would have inflicted on millions of low-paid families, though as Richard Exell points out, the cuts to Universal Credit are…Read more…
Just two cheers for the #spendingreview tax credit U-turn
The headline news in today’s Spending Review and Autumn Statement is the decision not to go ahead with the cuts to tax credits that were due to take place next April. So let’s remember the cuts that were due to come into effect next April, with no protection for the tax credit claimants who…Read more…
Has the #SpendingReview fully funded the NHS?
There are two competing but related health service ‘narratives’ being promoted in the immediate aftermath of the spending review. The first is that George Osborne has listened and delivered the “biggest ever commitment to the NHS since its creation”. The second is that Simon Stevens, head of NHS…Read more…
Adult skills and apprenticeships in the #SpendingReview
In one respect the Chancellor’s announcements on skills and apprenticeships in the Spending Review has been viewed as another u-turn with the welcome news that there will not be the degree of cuts to FE colleges and the adult skills budget that was widely anticipated. In addition the Apprenticeship…Read more…
A spectacular U-turn on tax credits, but working people needed more from the #SpendingReview
George Osborne was forced into a spectacular climb-down over his plans to cut tax credits in his Spending Review today. That’s a victory for decency, and the strong campaign run by civil society groups and unions to oppose the proposals. But by the end of the parliament many working people…Read more…
Public sector workers in the firing line (again)
George Osborne has certainly got his work cut out with the Spending Review next week. On the one hand, the Chancellor has pledged to find a further £20bn of departmental cuts in order to meet his spending targets. On the other, he has a fresh commitment to find £4bn for cyber-security and military…Read more…
2016 Tax credit cuts will worsen regional inequality
A new TUC analysis of the tax credit cuts the Chancellor plans for next April shows that the worst impact will be felt in the regions and nations of the UK that already have the lowest average incomes. In his summer Budget Mr Osborne announced that the…Read more…