The 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review: the economics of the cuts agenda are neither justified nor just

Last week's Comprehensive Spending Review detailed the largest cuts to public spending since the Second World War. In John Van Reenen’s judgement, the speed and scale of the cuts are not economically justified because the previous government’s plans would have also dealt with the deficit with much less danger to the economic recovery. The Review is also unjust, hitting the poor much harder than the rich.