Last year, I wrote a blog for Labour Uncut about Cameron’s top 30 “real achievements”. But things have got so bad in the last year alone that this year’s round up is now a full “Top 40”. As the Tories meet this week for their annual conference in Manchester, here’s my latest assessment on what Cameron’s Government has really achieved since 2010:
On the cost of living:
1. Prices have risen faster than wages in 38 out of 39 months while David Cameron has been Prime Minister.
2. Wages are down by almost £1,500 a year on average since the General Election.
3. While ordinary people are seeing their living standards squeezed, David Cameron has cut income tax for people earning over £150,000. And in April this year, bankers’ bonuses soared by 82 per cent as the wealthiest took advantage of the 50p tax cut.
4. Average energy bills have risen by £300 since David Cameron became Prime Minister whilst Britain’s big six energy companies have enjoyed a £3.3 billion windfall in profits since 2010.
5. David Cameron has broken his promise to force energy companies to put all consumers on the cheapest tariff.
On growth:
6. This is the slowest recovery for 100 years. Since autumn 2010, our economy has grown by just 1.7 per cent compared to the 6.9 per cent expected at the time.
7. The UK is currently 3.3 per cent below its pre-crisis peak, while the USA is 4.6 per cent above its pre-crisis peak.
On the deficit:
8. David Cameron and George Osborne are now set to borrow £245 billion more than they planned in 2010 and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility has said that deficit reduction has “stalled”.
On jobs:
9. Almost a million young people are unemployed.
10. The number of 16-18 year olds starting apprenticeships is down by 12 per cent in the last year. Overall, nearly 200,000 16-18 year olds are not in work, education or training, a rise since 2010.