Thursday 11 June 2009

Tory cuts or Labour taxes? - take your pick.

Yesterday at PMQs Gordon Brown took great pleasure in crowing about Conservative spending cuts for 2011 onwards. He was jubilant when he pointed out that Andrew Lansley had let "the cat out of the bag" by announcing that the Conservatives would cut spending across most departments by 10% to protect spending on Health. What Brown failed to point out is that these are Labours spending plans adjusted by the Conservatives in favour of Health.

The Government's own figures show that they will be cutting spending across all departments (including health) by 7%. Fraser Nelson gives the details. What Brown did in PMQs yesterday was lie to the house and the nation. By claiming that a Labour Government would increase spending was a blatant lie. Either he knows full well the he is lying to us all, or he is indeed completely delusional. The press have already jumped upon Brown's lies and it looks like he is causing the Labour party further embarrassment.

However, there could be some truth to Brown's claims on spending (shocked?). They may not be cutting spending after all (even though their budget says they are). Cabinet Minister Liam Byrne told BBC Radio 4's programme:
"Between now and 2013/14, public spending will rise by £86bn but if we make a series of very difficult choices on, for example, tax and, for example, on efficiencies, we can halve the budget deficit over the course of five years."
So there you have it. Not only are they going to cut spending (according to their own budget figures), they are also going to increase our taxes to repay the massive amount of debt that they have piled upon the nation. And don't be fooled by the "spending will rise by £86bn" that does not include inflation or interest payment on debts (that's were the 7% cut figure comes from).

So in what form are these Labour tax increases likely to appear? I think we should be told the truth before we are expected to vote in the General Election.

6 comments:

Sean Lynch said...

It seems to be politics as usual now, (expenses old news) most people know there will have to be spending cuts to reduce the debt, at least the Conservatives would spend less on socialist non jobs, the quangos and committees and direct it to vital frontline services.
Labour are burnt toast, they are hated and most people want them out, Brown as you say is showing them up again true to form, serves them right for not dumping the bleeding idiot.
He'll be back on the ropes before the conference and it will be another tale of Brown out before it's too late, Jesus wept !!

James Higham said...

October will tell.

Catosays said...

I've said it time and time again. You simply can not spend your way out of a recession. If you've no money then it's bloody lunacy to borrow some. You have to cut your cloth accordingly. Shop at Aldis instead of Waitrose, get rid of Sky TV.etc.etc.

Steve said...

Matthew Parris has been saying for years in his columns that GB is one sandwich short of a pick-nick.

He is now getting delusional and thinks thaty if he just parrots crap, the rest of the electorate, other than the PLP, will swallow it.

I fear a proper breakdown is just around the corner. Isn't it time for the proper authorities to step in and section him?

Mulligan said...

It will be in the manifesto of course.

Or then again.

Anonymous said...

It says a lot when the PM and MPs can blatantly lie and get away with it.

Trouble with politics of today is that there is no recourse for these MPs like there is for the general public.