Former chancellor blasted for trying to rewrite history on austerity's harm

George Osbourne has been accused by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) of attempting to gaslight the country and rewrite history on austerity as he sought to defend his economic policies today.

Osbourne joined his Tory pal David Cameron in their adamant denial that austerity had any negative effect on the country’s health and social care systems, a view that has been rejected by health professionals who were actually working in the services over the decade of cuts.

During his line of questioning in the Covid-19 Inquiry, Osbourne even went so far as to say that austerity had a ‘positive’ effect on the UK’s ability to withstand the Covid-19 pandemic.

The former Chancellor defended his economic policy choices, which saw cuts introduced to government spending from 2010 including in welfare spending, school building programs, local government, police, courts and prisons.

He claimed that austerity measures meant the public finances could recover and reduce deficit.

“I have no doubt that taking those steps to repair the UK’s public finances in the years following the financial crisis of 2008/09 had a material and positive effect on the UK’s ability to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic,” claimed Osbourne.

However, he has been accused of attempting to rewrite the history of austerity by choosing to blatantly ignore the hugely damaging consequences austerity has had on public services.

TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, responded: “George Osborne is trying to rewrite history and gaslight the British public.

“Everyone can see the damage austerity did to the nation. From social care to schools and hospitals, our public services were decimated.

“Austerity disastrously slowed the UK’s economic recovery. George Osborne’s needless obsession with shrinking the state left us dangerously exposed to the pandemic – and we all paid the price.”

Deep cuts in public spending, imposed by George Osbourne during his time as chancellor from 2010 until 2016, saw the slowest of all recoveries from a recession this century. This saw public finances deteriorate far more significantly than under any recession, research by the TUC found.

A recent study published in the House of Lords library argued that there have been over 300,000 excess deaths during the last 13 years during austerity, having found that improvements in life expectancy have slowed in the UK since the early 2010s.

Public reactions on Twitter equally reflected the outrage felt by many who have experienced first-hand the devastating effects of austerity over the past decade.

One Twitter user reflected: “Of course George Osbourne defended his austerity plan that has near crippled Britain except for himself & cohort Cameron who both got themselves million a year contracts and lucrative speaking gigs after government. These people ruined the country and they remain unaffected!”

Whilst another lamented: “How George Osbourne can sit there at the Covid Inquiry and reject claims austerity measures didn’t weaken health and social care in the UK simply beggars belief! When will the Tories stop with their arrogance and own their failings.”

(Photo credit: Sky News / YouTube screenshot)

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