Margaret Thatcher: Thirty years on

[Furunculus]

it doesn't matter how much you spend per-se, what matter is what proportion of GDP the Gov't elects to fritter away on public spending.

in 1997 public spending represented about 37% of GDP
in 2008 public spending represented about 43% of GDP
in 1979 i am willing to bet that it was closer to 43% than 37%

from your link:
http://ukpublicspending.co.uk/downch...ent%20of%20GDP