The politics of public expenditure from Thatcher to Blair

Abstract

English The central concerns of this study are twofold: first, to analyse the nature of the politics of public expenditure under both the Thatcher and Blair governments and to ask whether changes in government did make a difference. Second, to deal with the more general question on whether major differences exist between the Conservative and Labour governments in prioritising public expenditure programmes since 1948. The results confirm differences in public expenditure priorities between the two main parties. Labour governments are associated with increased spending on health, education, housing and the environment while Conservative governments are associated with increases in defence and law and order.