Defence secretary Philip Hammond was on the Daily Politics today and made a startling claim: that living standards are starting to rise again.
Defence secretary Philip Hammond was on the Daily Politics today and made a startling claim: that living standards are starting to rise again.
When asked by presenter Andrew Neil where he got the data showing living standards improving, however, he drew a blank.
Perhaps we can help him out.
Delivering its verdict on George Osborne’s Autumn Statement last week, director of the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson said the following:
“We do know from household surveys that income fell sharply in 2010 and 2011. It is almost certainly significantly lower now than it was in 2010.”
He added that:
“while it [income] should start to grow, it will surely still be below its 2010 level by the time we get to the election in 2015.”
In other words, Philip Hammond hasn’t got a “specific measure” because there isn’t one. Living standards will be worse at the end of the current parliament than they were at the start.
7 Responses to “Philip Hammond claims living standards are rising. Backs up the claim with…nothing”
Timmy2much
Hang on – there is NO specific measure of living standards, you just admitted to it, you based your article on it. So what measure of living standards are YOU using to make the statement that “Living standards will be worse at the end of the current parliament than they were at the start.”???!!!!
Thats before we get on to Andrew Neil asking a question requiring that there be a measure of ‘living standards’ when there is apparently no measure for P Hammond to quote!! . P Hammond then mentions that he ‘THINKS’ living standards are rising – but A Neil wants a specific measure and asks for specific data which P Hammond obviously cannot provide an answer to and says as much.
You then come along and try to ridicule P Hammond for having HIS OPINION / BELIEF that living standards are rising. What measure of living standards are you using to discredit this belief – are you sure that its the same as P Hammonds measure? – because I fail to see how you can compare, which means it boils down to PERSONAL OPINION / BELIEF
Just to get my point across – I have 2 oranges and a pear, anyone whos got 5 santa hats and a rudolf nose has a lower living standard !!! Do you agree …yes or no? by how much?
Im going to assume that you didnt start the quote with A Neil (which would have been contextually correct) as A Neil repeats his question.
mactheanti
Give over, Philip Hammond was trying to pull a fast one on TV, end of story and your essay just amounts to a pile of unnecessary words.
Timmy2much
I couldnt care less if he was trying to pull a fast one or not – If you had the ability to read you would have understood my issue was with J Bloodworth’s childish smear attempt based on zero substance while simultaneously exhibiting outrageous hypocrisy.
That YOU cannot see that in my comment is one thing – that you cannot even see the floors in J Bloodworths article just makes you look like a fool. Not that it wasnt obvious after your highbrow analysis.
Now go and end your story as you began it – ignorant.
Phil
Timmy2shoes…as by any measure incomes have fallen and by any measure prices have risen ipso facto living standards have fallen. Oh and you stupid troll…it’s flaws in an argument not floors…thicko
Timmy2much
Ok you got me on a spelling mistake. Bravo.
I’m a troll for pointing out valid errors in an argument, really.
Try this;
No one is saying living standards haven’t fallen – ipso facto your argument is pointless.
(If you check what I’ve said I’m questioning the double standards and hypocrisy)
I’ve already covered the issue of measuring living standards. You are using purely economic ones, which obviously is valid, but is not the only possible option out there.
So, using the information given in the article and the economic measure of living standards,
“We do know from household surveys that income fell sharply in 2010 and 2011. It is almost certainly significantly lower now than it was in 2010.”
“while it [income] should start to grow, it will surely still be below its 2010 level by the time we get to the election in 2015.”
So we know living standards have fallen and will probably be below 2010 levels in 2015.
BUT
will living standards be lower in 2015 than they are as of 11th Dec 2013 when the statement was made? For all you and I know we could have hit the bottom and started a slow climb back up which will not take us above the 2010 level by 2015 – which would make the statement that living standards are rising factually correct.
If you were as smart as you claim to be you would have spotted this.
oh..and its Timmy2much dear boy, Timmy2much!