Oh I agree, growth wasn’t spectacular. But it was also more than zero.
Changes in working practices doesn’t necessarily mean working harder, since it can also mean working in a more efficient way, for example by using new technology. An example would be train drivers refusing to use iPads unless they’re paid more. On what planet does that make sense?
On GCSE economics, I’m too old to have done GCSEs. But thanks for making my point, while completely misunderstanding it! Government money is not required to spur innovation in renewables, as it’s already a pretty mature technology. There’s plenty of private capital already funding these projects, and they are, on the whole, being sold to long term investors like pension funds for whom the regular income stream is desirable. No fickleness involved. So, as I said, the money should be used to fund genuine innovation, to drive growth, employment and GDP/tax revenues, perhaps in tech / biotech
My experience of the impact of IHT and CGT (which I note you ignored) on SMEs is very different to yours, but what I see is a scaling back of investment / employment across multiple sectors as the risk / rewarded balance shifts. Happy to be proved wrong, but the indicators are not good.
I am sure that GCSE economics does say that savings reduce consumption. But increased savings via equity and bonds also drives liquidity in markets, which makes the UK an attractive place to raise capital, invest and start businesses, all of which ultimately drive GDP, while creating the opportunity for tax revenues from employment, corporation tax, capital gains tax and so on.