The government's role in the economy
Fact checks related to national economic programmes including leveling up, the New Deal and nationalisation
No, health won’t account for 40% of all public spending
Health will account for around 40% of the day-to-day spending that can be budgeted by departments, which itself only accounts for about half of government spending.
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What the National Insurance rise means for the tax burden
It’s been claimed the NI rise will take the tax burden to the highest level “in history”, in peacetime, since 1948, since 1950 and since 1969.
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Did Eat Out to Help Out cause Covid to spread?
Debate over whether the government scheme caused a rise in infections continues.
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Details missing on levelling up funding
A list of priority areas due to receive early funding from the new “Levelling Up Fund” has been published. The rationale for why certain areas are prioritised has not.
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What was the New Deal?
The Prime Minister recently compared the government’s policy program to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. They’re not on the same scale.
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State spending isn’t at a record high when you consider the size of the economy
Public spending amounts to around 40% of the size of the economy. It’s been smaller before. It’s also been bigger before.
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Public spending on buses not down by half in a decade
Funding from local authorities in England (excluding London) is down 43%, and this excludes money from central government which has not seen such large falls.
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There are some problems with this estimate of Labour’s nationalisation plans
Analysis says nationalisation will cost £196 billion or shareholders will suffer losses. Some outlets said both would occur.
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Viral post about Conservatives’ record in government gets lots of things wrong
It incorrectly claims that child poverty is up 50%, crime is up 30%, and public sector pay is down 15%.
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Would a corporation tax cut more than pay for itself, as Jeremy Hunt suggests?
Cutting corporation tax could lead to economic growth over the long-term, but is still expected to cost more than it raises.
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