The Guardian view on welfare reform: time to retire lazy myths and stereotypes | Editorial

A speech by the leader of the opposition exemplifies much that is wrong with the way British politics conventionally talks about benefit claimants

There is a big difference between expenditure that is rising and a rise that is “out of control”. The amount Britain spends on social security is in the former category. Too much political rhetoric around the subject assumes that it is in the latter one.

The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts the growth in welfare spending over the next five years at 0.2%-0.5% of gross domestic product, from £353bn this year to £431bn in 2032. That money might well be suboptimally deployed. There are rival demands on the state’s resources and a reasonable debate to be had about priorities at the Department for Work and Pensions. But that is not the tone of the debate routinely conducted in Westminster.

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