Douglas Carswell's Blog

How to control what government spends

Today’s newspapers suggest that the deficit reduction targets may be missed, that quangos are growing rather than shrinking, and that 300 Whitehall grandees are paid more than the Prime Minister.

Surprised? 

Then ponder this extract from Saturn’s Children for some historical perspective; “In 1979 there was a great deal of misplaced optimism about the savings which could be made .... Ministerial briefing papers prepared in Opposition envisaged public expenditure cuts of £624 Million in the first year in office, £2.5 Billion in the second year, £3.75 Billion in the third year and nearly £5 Billion in the fourth. ....

It is not surprising that successive Conservative governments have found it difficult to contain public spending, let along effect real reductions”.

You cannot rein in government spending if you leave it up to government.  No amount of Start Chambers or Treasury tinkering will fend off the vested interests demanding more.  If we are serious about curbing government expenditure, every Whitehall department and quango should be made to annually appear before the Commons to plead for its budget ....

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