Business
More UK Austerity Despite Recovery
Britain faces fresh government spending cuts worth $41 billion, suggesting that the scars of the financial crisis in one of Europe’s strongest economies are far from healed.
In a speech Monday, Chancellor George Osborne said £25 billion ($40.9 billion) would be cut over two years through to early 2018, equivalent to nearly 2% of government spending over that period.
Faster growth is not generating enough revenue to allow the UK to start reducing its debt mountain, and the government doesn’t want to raise taxes further, according to a CNN report.
Around half of the cuts will hit welfare programs, putting more strain on some of the country’s most vulnerable residents.
The government, which faces an election in 2015, now plans to slash spending by £60 billion over the next four years.
Osborne said “big, underlying problems” must be addressed to shore up the U.K’s finances and economy.
“We’ve still got a huge amount to do to reduce the deficit and get our debts falling.”
The UK borrows around £100 billion a year, and spends about half that servicing existing debt.
Debt as a proportion of GDP is comparable with levels in the U.S. and France, according to the International Monetary Fund, but above other European economies such as Germany and Spain.
The extended austerity drive in Britain comes despite the surprising strength of the country’s economic rebound in 2013.
A surge in consumer spending and rising house prices have led to a dramatic turnaround, just months after it teetered on the brink of a triple-dip recession.
Britain grew faster than all other major European economies last year and is on track for stronger growth in 2014, according to IMF estimates.
But a tepid recovery across the eurozone, the U.K.’s largest trading partner, dampens the economic outlook. Eurozone unemployment is stuck at record levels around 12% and the economy is failing to generate momentum after emerging from recession in 2013.
The European Central Bank cut interest rates to a new record low late last year in an attempt to prevent the region slipping into deflation and stagnation.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
