Petition: it is a bad time for public spending cuts

Today over 60 leading economists have written to the Financial Times, to tell the Chancellor and the Shadow Chancellor it's a bad time to cut public spending [see here]. They say that it's too soon to know that the UK economy is recovering and that cuts too early could send us into a disastrous 'double-dip' recession.

Photo: snow again but strangely heavy in places like Dursley and Stonehouse but none in Stroud - anyhow this great pic of Whiteshill Church was from Chris Tracey, a Ruscombe resident - taken in the previous snow falls.

The campaign 38 degrees has launched an online petition - it takes less than a minute to sign at: www.38degrees.org.uk/dont-risk-the-recovery/

This is more of what they write: "This recession has hit the UK hard. Millions of us have suffered unemployment or the stress of feeling our jobs and homes under threat. There are some signs the worst may be over, but there's a danger that recovery may be threatened by politicians competing to look tough on cuts. The economy will be a key issue at the general election. But if politicians and the media get obsessed with a race to cut spending, protecting jobs and homes could be neglected. We need to prove that the public want politicians who put jobs and stability first. A massive petition against cuts will capture the media's attention, and persuade journalists to challenge politicians to show us their plans to reduce unemployment and poverty, not just their plans to cut spending."

The comment I left on the email I sent to the Chancellor and Shadow Chancellor relates to the need for a Green New Deal - see more here about what is really possible - at that website there are real costed proposals that will mean more jobs and a real investment in the future.