Will decentralisation of government budgets work?
The coalition government has very much hit the ground running with regards to proposals to decentralise government spending and give those "on the ground" more of a say in where their taxes are spent. However, will we ever truly see a decentralisation of public-sector spending and will those in specific areas of the UK really have more of a say?
While the idea to "give power to the people" is one which will appeal to many across the UK it may be difficult to actually carry out in reality. The truth is that we vote in the government to look after public-sector spending, collect our taxes and invest these funds for the benefit of the UK economy and the UK population. There are many different views about how public-sector money should be spent across the UK, there are many very needy situations and ultimately the UK population on the ground will never agree on a way forward.
Whether the UK government has bitten off more than it can chew with regards to "decentralisation" remains to be seen but this is a very risky strategy by the UK authorities. Alternatively, do we really have as much say as David Cameron and George Osborne might have you believe?
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