Tories call for ‘honest’ debate on cuts
By politics.co.uk staff
The debate on spending cuts should centre around honesty, rather than sensationalism, shadow chancellor George Osborne has said.
Writing in today’s Times, Mr Osborne said the real dividing line was not “cuts versus investment” but “honesty versus dishonesty”.
“We should have the confidence to tell the public the truth that Britain faces a debt crisis; that existing plans show that real spending will have to be cut, whoever is elected; and that the bills of rising unemployment and the huge interest costs of a soaring national debt mean that many government departments will face budget cuts,” he wrote.
“These are statements of fact and to deny them invites ridicule.”
Speaking on Sky News, schools secretary Ed Balls would not confirm that Labour would cut spending.
“We’re going to have to make some tough choices,” he said.
“We are determined to keep the money flowing to every area in the country.”
The current debate over cuts began when shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley admitted on the Today programme that the Tories would cut ten per cent of spending across the board so they could maintain current levels on health, education and international development.
The comments played spectacularly into Labour’s hands, by centring the debate on the issue Gordon Brown believes could win him the next elections.
But many analysts believe cuts will have to be made whichever party wins the next election, making it merely a question of how and where.
