1972 United Kingdom budget

Last updated

1972 (1972) United Kingdom budget
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
Presented21 March 1972
Parliament 45th
Party Conservative Party
Chancellor Anthony Barber
  1971
1973›

The 1972 United Kingdom budget (also known as the dash for growth budget [1] ) was a budget delivered by Anthony Barber, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 21 March 1972. The budget is remembered for its large tax cuts, and led to high inflation and demands for higher wages, as well as the 1976 sterling crisis when the UK government was forced to ask the International Monetary Fund for financial help. It also led the Conservative Party to abandon "Post-war consensus" policies.

Contents

History

The Conservative government of Edward Heath came to power at the 1970 general election held in June of that year, with a plan for free-market–oriented policies as solutions to the country's unemployment and inflation problems, but subsequent events would force the government to largely abandon this strategy. Unemployment had increased considerably by 1972, and in January of that year, the number of unemployed had reached a million, the highest level for more than two decades. Opposed to unemployment on moral grounds, Heath encouraged a famous "U-Turn" in economic policy that precipitated what became known as the "Barber boom". This was a two-range process involving the budgets of 1972 and 1973, the former of which pumped £2.5 billion [lower-alpha 1] into the economy in increased pensions and benefits and tax reductions, all of it largely paid for through government borrowing. Among the tax cuts was a £1bn cut in income tax and incentives to business to retain jobs. In terms of government borrowing, £3.4bn [lower-alpha 2] would be required to pay for the 1972 budget. With inflation standing at 7.3%, Prime Minister Heath and Chancellor Barber had introduced an official growth target of 5%, with Barber forecasting UK growth would be at 10% within two years. Public expenditure controls were also lifted, with Barber describing his objective as being "To achieve a rate of growth twice as fast as in the past decade". [1] [2] [3] [4]

Within 15 months, with sterling's peg with the dollar having become indefensible, Barber was forced to float the pound, [1] resulting in its rapid depreciation and a consequent increase in inflation. [4] His next budget would see the introduction of wage freezes in an attempt to control inflation, something that led to confrontation with the miners. [1] The UK found itself plunged into the first recession since World War II. [1]

By early 1974, and as a result of the government's Keynesian economic strategy, unemployment had fallen to under 550,000. The economic boom did not last, and the Heath government implemented various cuts that led to the abandonment of policy goals such as a planned expansion of nursery education. [2] The situation was worsened by industrial unrest, as well as the 1973 oil crisis. [5] Inflation eventually reached double digits, [6] and by 1979, interest rates had increased to 11.3%; they would average 12.7% between 1980 and 1989. [4]

Against this background, Heath called a general election in February 1974, which saw the Conservatives replaced by a Labour government. [4] The UK economy continued to perform poorly and in 1976 the government of James Callaghan was required to go to the International Monetary Fund for a loan to help keep the economy afloat. The 1972 budget also led to Heath's defeat at the 1975 Conservative leadership election, which saw Margaret Thatcher elected to lead the party. She would go on to win the 1979 general election. [1] [7] The fallout from the budget throughout the 1970s also convinced many Conservatives that " Keynesian measures which used government spending to boost the economy and cut unemployment, no longer worked". [1]

The mini-budget held on 23 September 2022 has been compared to the 1972 budget because of the large tax cuts announced by the Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, and the negative impact it had on international markets. [8] [9]

See also

Notes

  1. about £35 billion at 2021 prices
  2. about £48 billion at 2021 prices

Related Research Articles

In economics, stagflation is a situation in which the inflation rate is high or increasing, the economic growth rate slows, and unemployment remains steadily high. Stagflation, once thought impossible, poses a dilemma for economic policy, as measures to reduce inflation may exacerbate unemployment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Lawson</span> British peer and politician (1932–2023)

Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, was a British politician and journalist. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament for Blaby from 1974 to 1992, and served in Margaret Thatcher's Cabinet from 1981 to 1989. Prior to entering the Cabinet, he served as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury from May 1979 until his promotion to Secretary of State for Energy. He was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in June 1983 and served until his resignation in October 1989. In both Cabinet posts, Lawson was a key proponent of Thatcher's policies of privatisation of several key industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deficit spending</span> Spending in excess of revenue

Within the budgetary process, deficit spending is the amount by which spending exceeds revenue over a particular period of time, also called simply deficit, or budget deficit, the opposite of budget surplus. The term may be applied to the budget of a government, private company, or individual. A central point of controversy in economics, government deficit spending was first identified as a necessary economic tool by John Maynard Keynes in the wake of the Great Depression.

The Great Depression in the United Kingdom also known as the Great Slump, was a period of national economic downturn in the 1930s, which had its origins in the global Great Depression. It was Britain's largest and most profound economic depression of the 20th century. The Great Depression originated in the United States in late 1929 and quickly spread to the world. Britain did not experience the boom that had characterized the U.S., Germany, Canada and Australia in the 1920s, so its effect appeared less severe. Britain's world trade fell by half (1929–33), the output of heavy industry fell by a third, employment profits plunged in nearly all sectors. At the depth in summer 1932, registered unemployed numbered 3.5 million, and many more had only part-time employment. However at the same time, from 1929 to 1933 employment dipped only to 94.9% relative to 1929 employment metrics and recovery was seen as early at 1933. The positive trend continued across real national income and wages. New houses built increased by 33% from 1929 to 1933, while profits, prices, export volume and value, and imports volume and value dropped. Overall, while all these metrics were concerning to parliament and businessmen along with devastating industrial regions, the common person especially in areas around London did not experience major hardship and even prospered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Barber</span> British politician (1920–2005)

Anthony Perrinott Lysberg Barber, Baron Barber, was a British Conservative politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1970 to 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aggregate supply</span> Economic concept

In economics, aggregate supply (AS) or domestic final supply (DFS) is the total supply of goods and services that firms in a national economy plan on selling during a specific time period. It is the total amount of goods and services that firms are willing and able to sell at a given price level in an economy. Together with aggregate demand it serves as one of two components for the AD–AS model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Philp</span> British politician

Christopher Ian Brian Mynott Philp is a British politician who is the current Shadow Leader of the House of Commons since July 2024. He held the post of Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire from October 2022 to July 2024. He was previously appointed to Liz Truss's cabinet from September to October 2022 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and then as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General. A member of the Conservative Party, he is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Croydon South following his election in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selsdon Man</span> 1970s British political term

The term 'Selsdon Man' was coined by Labour Party Prime Minister Harold Wilson to describe the free-market economic policy of his principal rival, Conservative leader Edward Heath. The term 'Selsdon Man' was intended as a derogatory reference to the historic 'Piltdown Man', the supposed remains of an early human.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawson Boom</span> Consequences of budgetary decisions

The Lawson Boom was the macroeconomic conditions prevailing in the United Kingdom at the end of the 1980s, which became associated with the policies of Margaret Thatcher's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwasi Kwarteng</span> British politician (born 1975)

Akwasi Addo Alfred Kwarteng is a British politician who served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 6 September to 14 October 2022 under Liz Truss and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2021 to 2022 under Boris Johnson. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Spelthorne from 2010 to 2024.

<i>Britannia Unchained</i> 2012 book by five British Conservative MPs

Britannia Unchained: Global Lessons for Growth and Prosperity is a political book written by several British Conservative Party MPs and released on 13 September 2012. Its authors present a treatise, arguing that Britain should adopt a different and radical approach to business and economics or risk "an inevitable slide into mediocrity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 sterling crisis</span> Situation of prolonged doubt in the strength of Britains currency

The 1976 sterling crisis was a currency crisis in the United Kingdom. Inflation, a balance-of-payments deficit, a public-spending deficit, and the 1973 oil crisis were contributors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truss ministry</span> Government of the United Kingdom in 2022

The Truss ministry began on 6 September 2022 when Liz Truss was invited by Queen Elizabeth II—two days before the monarch's death—to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister of the United Kingdom. Johnson resigned as leader of the Conservative Party the previous day after Truss was elected as his successor. The Truss ministry was formed from the 2019 Parliament of the United Kingdom, as a Conservative majority government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Premiership of Liz Truss</span> Period of the Government of the United Kingdom in 2022

Liz Truss's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom began on 6 September 2022 when she accepted an invitation of Elizabeth II to form a government, succeeding Boris Johnson, and ended 49 days later on 25 October upon her resignation. As prime minister, she served simultaneously as First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Minister for the Union and Leader of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">September 2022 United Kingdom mini-budget</span> UK government budget

On 23 September 2022, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, delivered a Ministerial Statement entitled "The Growth Plan" to the House of Commons. Widely referred to in the media as a mini-budget, it contained a set of economic policies and tax cuts such as bringing forward the planned cut in the basic rate of income tax from 20% to 19%; abolishing the highest (45%) rate of income tax in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; reversing a plan announced in March 2021 to increase corporation tax from 19% to 25% from April 2023; reversing the April 2022 increase in National Insurance; and cancelling the proposed Health and Social Care Levy. Following widespread negative response to the mini-budget, the planned abolition of the 45% tax rate was reversed 10 days later, while plans to cancel the increase in corporation tax were reversed 21 days later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election</span> British leadership election to replace Liz Truss

The October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election was triggered by Liz Truss's announcement that she would resign as Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, amid an economic and political crisis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October 2022 United Kingdom government crisis</span> Crisis ending Liz Trusss premiership

In September and October 2022, the Conservative Party government led by newly appointed prime minister Liz Truss faced a credibility crisis. It was caused by the September 2022 mini-budget and a disorganised vote in the House of Commons over a parliamentary vote to ban fracking, ultimately resulting in the loss of support of Conservative members of parliament (MPs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">November 2022 United Kingdom autumn statement</span>

The November 2022 United Kingdom autumn statement was delivered to the House of Commons on 17 November 2022 by Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt, after being delayed by three weeks from its original scheduled date of 31 October. The budget addressed the ongoing cost of living crisis, and saw the announcement of a five-year package of tax increases and spending cuts designed to steer the UK through recession. An economic forecast published on the same day by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) stated the UK had entered a recession after experiencing two quarters of a shrinking economy, and predicted the UK's economy would shrink during 2023. A reduction in households' disposable income was also forecast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 United Kingdom budget</span>

The 2023 United Kingdom budget was delivered to the House of Commons on 15 March 2023 by Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt. It was the first of two full budget statements presented during the Sunak ministry. It was also the first full budget statement to be presented by Hunt since his appointment as chancellor, and the first since the October 2021 United Kingdom budget presented by then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak. The date of the budget was confirmed by Hunt on 19 December 2022. At the same time he confirmed the budget would be accompanied by a full budget report from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The statement was presented as a budget for growth, with the objective of bringing about the conditions for long-term sustainable economic growth within the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chancellorship of Jeremy Hunt</span> Jeremy Hunts tenure at HM Treasury (2022–2024)

Jeremy Hunt served as Chancellor of the Exchequer between 2022 and 2024, during the premierships of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "BUDGET BRIEFING | Budget blunders". BBC News. 9 March 1999. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 The Five Giants: A Biography of the Welfare State by Nicholas Timmins
  3. "Why the 'Barber boom' that Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget recalls was destined for disaster". The Guardian . 25 September 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gausden, Grace (23 September 2022). "Why the biggest tax-cutting budget since 1972 means we're all worse off". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. Macpherson, Nicholas (30 September 2022). "Outlier Britain needs a credible economic plan in a hurry". The Financial Times. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  6. "Not yet a crisis, but it doesn't look especially good as chancellor's mini-budget sees pound plummet and sparks extraordinary response from financial markets". Sky News. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  7. Waller, Martin (24 September 2022). "Why the economy is now in uncharted territory" . Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  8. Haslett, Emma (23 September 2022). "Kwasi Kwarteng's plan for growth was a bad idea 50 years ago" . Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  9. Aldrick, Philip (23 September 2022). "UK's Biggest Tax Cuts Since 1972 Trigger Crash in Pound, Bonds". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 23 September 2022.