Youth Budget Hears Young People Want More Spending Cuts And Faster Deficit Reduction

Gauke

The Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 14/03/2012 13:37 Updated: 14/03/2012 14:54

Barely one in ten young people think the coalition is going fast enough in tackling the deficit.

This revelation came at the launch of a "Youth Budget" on Wednesday morning, which compiled an economic programme based on the views of 1,175 young people.

According to the Youth Budget backed by the Citizenship Foundation charity, more than three quarters (76%) of young people would cut the deficit faster than the Government. Only 3% would keep tax and spending levels at the same rate as the coalition.

65% of young people wanted to raise taxes, but even more (69%) would cut spending in order to reduce the deficit.

Speaking at the budget launch, Exchequer Secretary David Gauke hailed the signs of “fiscal rectitude” among young people.

In welcome news for the Chancellor, 56% of the young people backed removing child benefit from higher rate taxpayers. However, very few of them (13%) endorsed cutting the fuel tax - even by just 1%.

The vast majority of young people (77%) would keep the 50p rate of tax for those earning over £150,000. They also backed by a huge majority (73%) plans to cut the health budget for the NHS, in direct opposition to the coalition's plans to increase the NHS budget every year.

The coalition's plans to create a Green Investment Bank received considerable backing, with 42% saying they would establish one.

Kate Green, shadow minister for equalities, expressed concern at the implications of the budget. The economic programme proposed was “somewhat inconsistent”, she said, as they want to protect the winter fuel allowance “for rich grannies” while cutting child benefit for “rich people with children”. “I’m very anxious indeed about cutting harder and faster” she said.

Trevor Matthews, CEO of Aviva UK, underlined the importance of the budget. “Young people should be concerned as they’re going to be the voters and taxpayers of the future” he said.

Speaking at the launch of his budget, Youth Chancellor Isaac Warburton said:

“I believe young people should be more involved in decisions regarding the economy…as the decisions that are made now will affect our future”.

The budget was presented as part of the “Chance to be Chancellor” competition, which sought to give young people the opportunity to offer ideas on the country’s economic direction.

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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Janet Logan
Brit, Left-to-Moderate, compassionate, pragmatic
07:10 PM on 03/17/2012
Has anybody defined "young people"? They sound like they need their nappies checked.
05:29 PM on 03/17/2012
all I can say is that we have to fear the future from these extreme right wing youngsters. god help us if they ever get in power. they could be much more to the right than Maggie and call me Dave
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
redsquad
Shootin' from the lip
11:21 AM on 03/17/2012
Hmmm, yes.... the same youth with such experience & wisdom in the way of life... Never mind the staggering rise in youth unemployment they seem to have not noticed.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
janno000
11:41 AM on 03/17/2012
perhaps none of those questioned were unemployed, they were probably very carefully selected.
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09:09 AM on 03/15/2012
To cut the deficit faster would mean more cutbacks and austerity, something akin to Turkeys voting for Christmas every month. Look what is happening in Greece wellif it is cut faster then this is what we have to look forward too. The Government will engineer an Inflation increase that will magically make the debt disappear along with all the jobs and posperity and the UN, IMF and World banks will own everything and NATO will take orders from the UN.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Popopnano
Fuzzy peaches in your mouth
12:04 AM on 03/15/2012
The only thing I want cut is the cheese.
Lord Elpus
If you're going through hell, keep going
11:26 PM on 03/14/2012
Shock horror - perhaps they've been better educated than we thought!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
janno000
11:40 AM on 03/17/2012
clearly worse you mean.
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casual agent
Advocate for social justice
05:24 PM on 03/14/2012
How much did they bribe those poor kids with.?..lol...More Dodgy Data'...I suspect..?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
janno000
11:40 AM on 03/17/2012
perhaps a workfare job in macdonalds. Dodgy indeed.
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casual agent
Advocate for social justice
08:52 PM on 03/17/2012
More than likey'..Have you ever heard any tuth from the Tories?..I havn't...
04:50 PM on 03/14/2012
That's a major problem when you're young, you tend to be very naive though you think you know it all, if this is the response from the youth of today they have basically voted to be tomorrows slaves, debt and deficit will continue growing and these young fools want higher taxes, how idiotic, smug faced Osbourne has no worries where these voters are concerned, turkeys voting for Christmas.
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casual agent
Advocate for social justice
05:26 PM on 03/14/2012
Exactly'....It's Brainwashing time again'...Now that Ossie's ran out of excuses..eh?