How to cut the deficit: Charge for trips to the GP
By politics.co.uk staff
Well-off families could be charged for visits to the GP, according to a response to the government consultation on cutting the deficit.
The Social Market Foundation (SMF), which has close ties to the Conservative party, also suggests imposing VAT on books and newspapers and ending free travel for pensioners.
But the thrust of the response insists on the end of universal benefits, arguing that the poor can only be protected where the rich pay for previously free services.
“It’s clear that there is no choice but to end the provision of universal benefits if the poor are not to be hit disproportionately hard by the cuts to come,” said SMF director Ian Mulheirn.
“If it is serious about cutting the deficit the government will have to axe some popular programmes it currently plans to protect.”
Describing the cuts needed as “eye-watering”, Mr Mulheirn goes on to argue for the scrapping of the winter fuel payment for wealthier pensioners, halving the ISA allowance and stopping child benefit payments to people on medium to high incomes.
Child benefit and winter fuel payment cuts would be politically unpalatable, but the preparatory work for this month’s emergency Budget suggests it will contain brutal and hugely unpopular cuts.
David Cameron’s speech outlining how Britain would change forever and George Osborne’s promise of consultation have both been treated as early political overtures to prepare the public for tough time ahead.
