To be concerned about national debt

[Owl88]

Am I being unreasonable to be massively concerned about national debt? It is currently over 100% of our GDP.

I read The Times and watch the news but don't really see this being discussed at all. I only googled it by chance and am horrified.

As a family we pay a huge amount of tax and have a small amount left every month. I'm worried that we are going to lose that to even more tax.

In the global table, we carry more debt than Germany, the Nordics or (marginally) France.

We have less debt as a %GDP than the US, Spain, Portugal, Italy etc.

We aren't in a great position, but it isn't disastrous either.

I have a son, I worry for him, more about the climate emergency than I do about UK debt.

What Meadowfinch said.

Also, it's why governments love a bit of inflation because it erodes the level of their debt. In general, inflation steals from savers and rewards borrowers.

This definitely falls into the category of things you can't do anything about.

We're all pretty much fucked from all angles.

There's nothing much we can do about it though so you just have to do your best and also try not to let fear of things you aren't in control of overwhelm you.

The point to realise is that when Cameron and Osborne were using debt as cover for austerity, it was because it was a neat way to deliver small state conservatism (back then the aspiration was for national debt below 40%). It has ended badly hasn't it.