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Even more than in previous elections, the appropriate size of the state − measured by public spending as a share of national income − is a key issue. This briefing note describes the trends in public spending since Labour came to office in 1997. Section 2 compares the levels of public spending under Labour to date with historical levels and spending in other OECD countries. Section 3 compares the growth in the main components of public spending seen under Labour, both before and after the start of the financial crisis, with growth seen under previous governments. Section 4 considers productivity in public service provision, and how the increased spending under the Labour government compares with changes in measured output.
Authors
Deputy Director
Carl, a Deputy Director, is an editor of the IFS Green Budget, is expert on the UK pension system and sits on the Social Security Advisory Committee.
Robert Chote
Gemma Tetlow
Rowena Crawford
Report details
- DOI
- 10.1920/bn.ifs.2010.0092
- Publisher
- Institute for Fiscal Studies
Suggested citation
Chote, R et al. (2010). Public spending under Labour. London: Institute for Fiscal Studies. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/public-spending-under-labour (accessed: 29 March 2024).
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