A little addition and I'd agree 100%

Which options would the public prefer: Spending budgets more wisely vs spending less money?

Lets face it, if the Tories had inherited full employment, good growth and no debt, they would still have gone along an ideological path of cutting spending and privatising as much as they could. They remind me of the Scorpion and the Frog story, they cannot help it, it's what they do.

I would amend that. The problem with society today is that everyone knows their rights and entitlements. Few know their responsibilities, commitments and duties.

Bollox

I suppose that's why the vast majority of the population pay their taxes on-time and in full

In reality it is the companies/institutions/government depts that 99% of the population work for or use pay their taxes on time and in full - whether that be PAYE, VAT, etc.

Do you think if calculating and paying over taxes was a personal obligation the compliance rate would be anywhere close to the current position?

Agreed but is that not what you would expect from any right wing driven ideology?

If Labour had inherited the exact same situation they would have looked to increase further the size of the state through increased taxation - that is what they do, that is what they always do.

The problem is the term of the government - 5 years will drive a certain pattern of behaviour which they hope will result in re-election.

The vast majority have little choice with PAYE.

So, given that the Blair government continued privatisation and deregulation, it was, by your own logic, not a Labour government at all.

Did the spending on the public sector grow under the Blair administration - yes so by my definition a typical Labour government.

no [is[/ihit Sherlock

Did privatisation and deregulation occur? If so, by your own definition (from the real world, presumably) them obviously not a very 'socialist' government.

So what was your point then?

read the post I responded to

Where in my point did I say anything about deregulation? - I said if you get a Labour government you will get an increase in the size of the state - this is exactly what happened under Blair. So by the measure I suggested Labour did under Blair exactly did what it always does - it increased the size of the state.

That is the reality/fact - what are you struggling with here!!