Smoke Screen ?

[BertiWooster]

We had Cameron last week softening up the electorate for drastic cuts , in order to bring the defecit down - stating that the figures are worse than they thought it was , and they will need to make more swingeing cuts in spending, than first thought .
Now we have Osborne repeating the same thing .

But hang on , what do they mean they weren't aware of what the figures are - didnt the previous chancellor's budget forecast come in at something like 5 billion below his forecast ?
So what is all this ' we didn't know ' by Cameron and co .

I suggest that the Tories are on an idealogical mission to reduce the size of the state - that is what is really behind this rhetoric . So why dont they just say so .

Do you agree - what's your thoughts ?

[Oneeyedvic]

Not sure what you mean by "mission to reduce the size of the state"?

The opposition don't know the full extent of the country's finances until they actually become in power

And you will see this mornings news: http://news.bbc.co.uk...business/10305906.stm that Alistair Darling's 3% growth seemed wildly optimistic.

[ludwig]

// Ideological mission to reduce the size of the state //

Yes - that's basically what they stand for and always have. It's no secret. Just like Labour's ideological mission is to increase the size of the state.

[jake-the-peg]

I entirely agree Bertie.

Also take the timing and degree of cuts - they know that there is a strong likelihood that this will push us back into recession.

I'm convinced that for them this is an opportunitity to carry out the sort of cuts that they've always wanted to with an excuse of "don't blame us it was their fault"

That's why they avoid like mad talk of the banking crisis - because it reminds people of why we're in such debt and that they'd have been forced to do the same

[anotheoldgit]

Before any cuts are made to the peoples of this country, overseas aid should be cut or at the least frozen.

/// Britain is set to award £19 million in aid for refugees in Gaza.It will go to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the money is part of a five-year £100 million funding arrangement with the UNRWA that was entered into in 2006.///

This is money that would be better spent on our own people, since it was announced this morning on the radio, that there are towns in Britain that have a higher infant mortality rate than those amongst the refugees in Palestine.

[youngmafbog]

There is much waste in the public sector, without doubt. The private sector has gone through a period of fat trimming and it is only right that the Public sector goes through the same.
Thsi doe NOT mean loss of frontline jobs like labour like to screem. They (labour) know full well the public sector is bloated with excess managers and hangers on. We dont need this nor do we need a nanny state.
It is no secret the Tories dont like large Government. Who really does ? I would argue it is not in the majority of Britains nature to be told what to do.
And lets not forget the lib dems have said the same. Neither had a real clue to teh exrtent of labourts spending which seems to have increased leading up to the election.

Despite the lefty rantings on here, there is no debate. Noo Labour Broke the country, and it was not the Banking crisis that was just the bubble popper.

[rov1200]

You don't need to be an economist what happens when you refuse to pay off your bills. Even the experts say you should not ignore the bills but tackle them as the problem won't go away.

Brown could only do this because the debts can be unloaded onto someone else. I wonder if he keeps his mortgage up to date?

[Oneeyedvic]

AOG ///it was announced this morning on the radio, that there are towns in Britain that have a higher infant mortality rate than those amongst the refugees in Palestine. ///

Which radio station announced this?

The mortality rate in Britain is 4.9 per 1000 - compared to 23.6 per 1000 in Palestinian territories. Fascinated to know if this is true or just one of your weird and wonderful theories.