UN slams UK's austerity policy

Brady explores the views of special rapporteur for the UN on human rights Philip Alston on Great Britain's pursuit of public sector cuts. Alston said that Westminster's dogged perseverance of austerity has caused misery to millions, increasing poverty and homelessness, as well as shortening life expectancy. He called the policy a social calamity in a report released in May 2019. The report made several recommendations for the British government, including restororation of local government funding to allow it to provide critical social protection and tackle poverty at the community level. Alston also called for the country to scrap the benefits freeze and eliminate the initial delay in universal credit payments.