100 days: 100 cuts
By Ian Dunt
The TUC has published a document listing 100 different cuts affecting the UK’s poorest families to mark the coalition government’s first 100 days in power.
The union body cited the cancellation of an expanded free school meal programme and literacy help for children with learning difficulties as evidence that the pain of repaying the deficit was not being equally spread.
“Before the election we were told that cuts could be achieved through efficiency savings, that the most vulnerable would be protected and front-line services preserved. These pledges have not lasted 100 days,” said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.
“What makes this worse is that these cuts are doing the opposite of what the government intends. Far from securing the economic recovery, they are slamming on the economic brakes.”
Other cuts cited by the TUC include the City Challenge Fund, whose goal of providing extra support to under-performing children in deprived areas was hindered by an £8 million cut, housing benefits, the young person’s guarantee and the working neighbourhood fund.
The organisation also mentioned the Building Schools for the Future programme, whose cancellation by education secretary Michael Gove triggered arguably the biggest row of the coalition government’s first 100 days.
“We can only conclude that at least parts of the coalition are using the deficit as an excuse to secure the cuts in public services that they know that voters would have overwhelmingly rejected if faced with a manifesto that promised slash and burn,” Mr Barber said.
The TUC is part of a coalition, including several prominent charities, for all future Budget cuts to meet a ‘fairness test’ applied by the Treasury ensuring it does not disproportionately affect the poor, low-paid workers or women and children.
