For the first time in three years, more people now say the way the government is cutting spending to reduce the deficit is good for the economy than bad
In recent months, a new government line has emerged. Cuts are not only necessary to fix the economy, they say; they are part of a “fundamental culture change”, for a permanently “leaner” state. Those were David Cameron’s words in November, and in December the Chancellor carried them forward: despite upgraded growth forecasts, the theme of the autumn statement was that “the job isn’t done” – austerity is far from over.
For this new line to work, the government needs the public to stay on board with the austerity plan, not to expect more spending now that the economy appears to be on the mend. It seems they are winning that argument, for now.
In the last six out of seven weekly YouGov economy trackers more have said that the way the government is cutting spending to reduce the government’s deficit is good than bad for the economy, making this a prolonged trend.
In the latest survey, 42% say cuts are good for the economy while 37% say they are bad. That is the smallest percentage to say cuts are bad for the economy since October 2010.
The percentage in opposition to cuts appears to have been gradually coming down since around August 2012, when it was at a high of about 52%.
Image: Getty
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