Current government plans imply a fall in public spending to the smallest share of the economy since the second world war. But the headline figure matters less than how the money is spent. Demographic trends will push spending on state pensions and health inexorably up and the Tories have also pledged not to means-tests benefits for better-off pensioners. So other public services will face an unprecedented squeeze. Already, spending per head on social care has fallen by a fifth; we can see the results in this winter’s A&E crisis. NHS spending will be “protected” in real terms; but no one believes this will be ... (full story)