Someone has to pay for Britain’s debt following a once-in-a-century global pandemic, but it is coming at a great cost to hard work, aspiration and productivity.
Rishi Sunak finally this week acknowledged that Britain is paying too much tax, and says he will cut taxes when inflation comes down. But by then, of course, it will be too late.
While the pandemic helped create this economic mess, it also created a productivity crisis and two tiers of workers – those who have to pay to travel work and those who can afford the luxury of working from home, making huge savings every month while still collecting the same wage.
Also immune to the so-called cost of living crisis are those who do not work. Retired public sector workers are guaranteed to receive inflation-matching pay rises every year.
Workers’ wages are predicted to rise by 5pc this year, and then less than 2pc next year. Yet state pensions and public sector pensions were increased by 10.1pc last month and are now on track to increase 7pc next year.