US EditionCOVID inquiry: George Osborne rejects claims his austerity programme left NHS in 'parlous state' ahead of pandemic
- Former chancellor George Osborne has rejected claims that his austerity programme left the NHS in a "parlous state" before the coronavirus pandemic. He argued that his cuts better prepared the UK to tackle the outbreak and that the Treasury should have planned measures such as the furlough scheme needed in the pandemic.
- The Trades Union Congress has argued that the "political choice" of austerity under
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7 Articles
COVID inquiry: George Osborne rejects claims his austerity programme left NHS in 'parlous state' ahead of pandemic
Mr Osborne, who was chancellor in David Cameron's government between 2010 and 2016, also argued that the UK may not have had the financial scope to spend vast amounts to support the public through the crisis without austerity.
George Osborne 'completely rejects' claims austerity weakened health care before pandemic – video
Giving evidence to the Covid Inquiry, the former UK chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, has rejected claims that austerity had a negative impact on the UK's ability to cope with the pandemic, arguing that without austerity the public health crisis could have created a fiscal crisis. Osborne told the inquiry that 'Britain had a huge economic crash … it would have been worse, in my view and the view of many people, including the governor …
Tory austerity chief George Osborne admits UK had no economic plans for lockdown
The Tory Chancellor between 2010 and 2016 attempted to defend the Tories' controversial austerity measures, saying he 'completely' rejects it depleted health and social care capacity and rising inequality
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