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Brits support French anti-austerity measures

British voters have offered overwhelming support to anti-austerity policies championed by the new French president, indicating that many are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the current climate of cuts.

According to the Centre for Labour and Social Studies, 69% of those surveyed are unaware that 90% of Government spending cuts are yet to take effect. However, many were supportive Francois Hollande’s policies to encourage growth, including the expansion of educational opportunities for young people, redistribution of wealth, and a programme of building an extra 500,000 homes a year.

85% of those polled believe that reducing the deficit is either “very important” or “fairly important”, while 95% consider the creation of jobs and reduction of employment as ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ important.

Class’s chair, Steve Hart said: “The results from this survey show that the consensus behind austerity-focused economic policy has well and truly collapsed.

“Across Britain and Europe there is now an unmistakable demand for a radical economic alternative to austerity and British people are now searching for new and braver ideas from politicians.”

Individuals surveyed supported a number of measures to get the economy moving including the establishment of a publicly-owned SME lending bank, more financial support from low income families to help them fund college or university and a national programme of building 500,00 homes annually.

Class’s policy and media advisor and Independent columnist, Owen Jones, author of Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class, said: “‘Even though most of the Government’s ideologically-driven cuts agenda has yet to come, the British people have had enough.

“This poll shows huge enthusiasm for a genuine alternative to the failure of austerity. Across the Channel, voters have already given their verdict on politicians who have failed on growth, jobs, and making the rich pay their fair share of taxes. Our own political establishment has just been served notice too.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .