This year, the tax burden is higher than the OECD average for the first time since 2011[1]. As the graphs on that page show, the UK's tax burden being below the

This year, the tax burden is higher than the OECD average for the first time since 2011[1]. As the graphs on that page show, the UK's tax burden being below the OECD average - and certainly lower than France/Germany - is the general rule since the '80s. In any case, the low rate of taxation is only one element of the persistent austerity policies that have been in place since the 2009 economic crash. In terms of government spending, we have easily-obtainable data on the NHS[2] and those available by thinktanks like IFS[3]. The NHS spending is low (and again consistently lower than our peers in Europe). I find the charts from the IFS interesting because it doesn't show a lot of change in spending year-on-year (relative to GDP) since the '90s, except for the catastrophes. But the table at the bottom is very interesting. Health £ spending up, but equivalent to 2-3% increase YoY, which barely keeps up with inflation. Education, public order & housing spending are all DOWN in absolute terms, forget about inflation. Defense, social security, transport all increased at a rate less than inflation. (Obviously a huge increase in debt spending recently due to Covid measures.) That there is long-term austerity exemplified. No myth. [1] https://www.oecd.org/tax/revenue-statistics-united-kingdom.pdf https://www.oecd.org/tax/revenue-statistics-united-kingdom.p... [2] https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-in-a-nutshell/nhs-budget https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-in-a-nutshell/nhs-... [3] https://ifs.org.uk/taxlab/taxlab-key-questions/what-does-government-spend-money https://ifs.org.uk/taxlab/taxlab-key-questions/what-does-gov...