Our place to talk – an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK.

The most-read independent website by and for Lib Dem supporters. Not paid for by trade unions or millionaires.

Advert

Tag Archives: jeremy brown

Opinion: Need, not a magic number, should determine size of the state

By Mark Pack | Mon 18th August 2014 - 11:59 am

Ironically, one of strongest views expressed about the size of the state in The Orange Book was by Vince Cable, subsequently more usually associated with wanting more state spending during the recession but at the time of The Orange Book wishing to see a cap introduced on the level of state spending.

Jeremy Browne has more recently talked of wanting to reduce the size of the state to around 35-38% of GDP but more significant has been David Laws’s comments which in effect put any push by people such as himself in the party for reducing the size of the state into the deep freeze. He attacked the Conservatives, saying:

“Their desire to shrink the state by continuing to cut spending long after the deficit has been cleared trumped their rhetorical commitment to expanding opportunity for young people. Clearly a political dividing line on fiscal policy matters more to them than the effort to reduce poverty and expand life chances.”

Continue reading »

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged david laws and state intervention | 39 Comments

Most Read

Op-eds

Recollections of 9/11 (George Cunningham)
Why we need a Trade NATO (Dominic Sokalski)
‘I Fear a Target on My Back’ — A Liberal Democrat’s fight for Hong Kong’s freedom (Alan Dai)
Making the most of the Government’s belated action on illegal Israeli settlements (Jonathan Brown)
Somerset’s farmers are on the front line of climate change (Sarah Dyke)

Advert

Recent Comments

Peter Martin
Gerard, Sarah Olney may well be a "practising Roman Catholic " but do we know this was her sole reason for opposing the Assisted Dying Bill? There's usually...
Gerard
Sarah Olney placed her own personal religious beliefs over the potential needs of her constituents today. I refer of course to the Assisted Dying Bill. Needless...
David Raw
@ Jack I'm afraid you fail to accept it was a free vote on a non party issue and was a matter of personal conscience, Jack. No less than fifteen Liberal Democ...
David Raw
@ Jack. It was a perfectly reasonable question, Jack, and I’m afraid you haven’t answered it....
George Thomas
It follows the position of what I believe is a majority of UK population of supporting Israel but being against these unlawful settlements. Maybe not brave in t...