Graham, Tom and Ian

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Under which Prime Minister and Party did Government spending increase most?

by Lib Dem team on 8 April, 2013

Government total spending 1979-2015

 

I like this graph.  Looks a bit boring, doesn’t it?  A few lumps and bumps but essentially just a straight line.

Why’s that interesting?  On the day that Margaret Thatcher died, my Twitter feed has been full of arguments about her legacy.  That’s a big question and not one I’m going to attempt to answer.  But look at the graph.

In 1970 total Government spending in the UK was a little over £20 billion. By 2015 it’s forecast to have increased to about £730 billion. That sounds like a really big number – and it is – but of course there’s been lots of inflation between 1970 and 2015 so in reality the increase is a little under threefold.

We’ve had different Prime Ministers and parties running the country. We’ve had boom and bust, war and peace, the end of the cold war and the credit crunch. Unemployment has gone up and down, as has crime. And through all of that, overall Government funding has just carried on rising relentlessly.

Depending on your political view you might think that’s a good or a bad thing; but good or bad, it certainly seems to be pretty inevitable.

   3 Comments

3 Responses

  1. […] Under which Prime Minister and Party did Government spending increase most? (Iain Roberts) […]

  2. Sean says:

    Its an interesting graph, but it needs to be adjusted for inflation – once adjusted, you will see it looking a little flatter.

  3. Iain Roberts says:

    Agreed – as I mention in the text.

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