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'Looming fiscal crisis' warning to Britain as Mel Stride urges cuts to avoid recession

The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) report, named 'Breaking the Cycle', warned of a 'looming fiscal crisis' in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ unless the government takes action to boost growth and curb spending

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride

A new report warns that the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ is on the brink of a fiscal crisis unless spending is curtailed and the competitiveness of the city is enhanced.

The 'Breaking the Cycle' report by the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) states that with per capita growth stagnating and government expenditure skyrocketing, there is an urgent need to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards, as reported by .

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride emphasised the necessity for "urgent action to fix our public finances and restore confidence in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ economy," although he noted that the Tories did not back all the recommendations in the report.

Dr Gerard Lyons, the author of the report, argued that the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ must manage public spending and lower the debt-to-GDP ratio, pointing out that GDP per capita growth has come to a standstill, while productivity growth has plummeted to just one-third of pre-2008 levels.

"The issues we face are real, sizeable but are solvable with the right policies. The central aim should be to grow GDP per capita," stated Lyons.

He further added that "all policy decisions" should be aimed at achieving this objective.

"Although a repeat of 1976 is not inevitable, a fiscal crisis is a genuine risk. The current focus is on the Budget in late November, but if the government loses the confidence of international investors a crisis is possible at any time."

Britain on the brink

One of the key policies advocated in the paper is the abolition of stamp duty on shares, a move which Stride described as having "something quite attractive" about it.