Are 16 economists right or wrong?

Back in March 1981,364 economists famously wrote to the Times arguing against the government's persuit of fiscal and monetary policy.
Mrs Thatcher and her Chancellor Geoffrey Howe chose to ignore their views and their policies were to result in record unemployment and the collapse of manufacturing industry.

Today economists are once again questioning government economic policy,this time 16 leading economist are writing to the Sunday Telegraph

They argue the opposite of what those economists were saying 27 years ago cliamimng that Alistair Darling's public works policy is too risky.

the plan could boost the state to such a "dominant position" that it would "stunt the private sector's recovery once recession is past". They argue that taxes should be cut and interest rates varied to cope with economic downturns, rather than spending being ramped up