Election '97: The truth about health 1

There is a hole in the government finances. It is the chasm between our wish to pay American-style taxes and our preference for a European- style welfare state. The two main parties have both lashed themselves to each horn of this dilemma. The resulting pain need not be immediate; there is less dang...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inIndependent (London, England : 1986)
Main Author Diane Coyle/Anthony Bevins
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London (UK) Independent Digital News & Media 25.04.1997
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Summary:There is a hole in the government finances. It is the chasm between our wish to pay American-style taxes and our preference for a European- style welfare state. The two main parties have both lashed themselves to each horn of this dilemma. The resulting pain need not be immediate; there is less danger of big tax rises in a budget in July or November than of the slow crumbling of key public services - such as health. The Tories and Labour played a game of fantasy budgets yesterday. Would Labour have to raise pounds 12bn to pay for employment schemes, and lower VAT on fuel? Or would the Tories have to find more than pounds 15bn to abolish inheritance tax and boost Britain's cadet forces?
ISSN:0951-9467