Their fault but we pay

JEREMY Hunt will today deliver a grim economic package of higher taxes and lower public spending.

The Chancellor will try to blame the state of our finances on Covid and the war in Ukraine.

But while they have contributed to the downturn, the main reason the country is heading for a recession is the disastrous policies pursued by the Tories.

They crashed the economy and are now expecting the rest of us to pick up the bill in the form of tax hikes and public spending cuts.

The bitter medicine dispensed by Mr Hunt will mean more people unable to access decent healthcare and education. It will mean further cuts to social safety nets and less investment in jobs, research and infrastructure.

The Chancellor claims his measures will be fair and compassionate. But a compassionate Government would not slam on the spending brakes when schools are crumbling, waiting lists are at a record level and people are dying because of poor housing.

The austerity inflicted by George Osborne in the 2010s was a disaster for this country.

Mr Hunt should not repeat his mistake.