Sajid Javid Declares End Of Austerity As The Conservative Party Eyes A General Election

Austerity is finally at an end, Sajid Javid promised in his first spending review as chancellor, pledging not to cut the funding of a single department next year. 

“Britain’s hard work has paid off,” the chancellor told the Commons on Wednesday as he laid out the government’s spending plans for the next year.

“Every single government department has had its budget for day-to-day spending increased at least in line with inflation.”  

The vow came amid a flurry of spending promises as the Conservative Party gears up for the snap general election Johnson wants to hold in October.

With Johnson expected to table a motion in parliament tonight in a bid to send the country to the polls, Javid delivered a series of pledges  – including a real terms increase of £13.8 billion in day-to-day spending, the fastest rise in 15 years. 

He also announced a 6.3% increase in Home Office spending, a £6.2 billion boost to NHS funding and £1.5 billion in new funding for social care. 

Sajid Javid’s spending promises: 

• 6.3% increase in Home Office spending 
• £45 million this year to allow the training of new police officers to begin, with 2,000 expected to be in place by March 2020
• £6.2 billion increase in NHS funding 
• £1.5 billion in new funding for social care 
• An additional £54 million in funding to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping, bringing the overall fund to £422 million 
• £422 million to DEFRA to push ahead with creating “world leading environmental standards” post-Brexit, plus £30 million to improve air quality
• £7.1 billion increase in school spending by 2022/23, with per-pupil funding set to rise to £5,000 in secondary schools and at least £3,750 in primary schools by next year
• £2.2 billion for the Ministry of Defence, a real terms increase of 2.6% 

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell accused Javid of delivering a “sham” of a spending review.

He said the government was “still failing to deliver a real end to austerity”. 

“The Tories have checked what are the top three or four issues in the polls and cynically judged just how little money they have to throw around to try and neutralise the concerns people,” he said.