This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7345730.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tories pin economic woes on Brown | Tories pin economic woes on Brown |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Shadow Chancellor George Osborne will pin the blame for the present economic crisis on Gordon Brown, in a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank. | |
| "At the root of the problem is the failure of the government's economic policy," he will say. | "At the root of the problem is the failure of the government's economic policy," he will say. |
| A recent poll suggests 68% of voters are "not confident at all" in Labour's ability to handle the crisis. | A recent poll suggests 68% of voters are "not confident at all" in Labour's ability to handle the crisis. |
| Mr Brown has called on banks and building societies to pass on recent interest rate cuts to borrowers. | Mr Brown has called on banks and building societies to pass on recent interest rate cuts to borrowers. |
| The Financial Times/Harris survey suggested the prime minister was less trusted on the issue of handling the country's economic problems than any other major Western European leader. | The Financial Times/Harris survey suggested the prime minister was less trusted on the issue of handling the country's economic problems than any other major Western European leader. |
| Mr Osborne will say that Mr Brown had "rested his claim to competence on three pillars - stability, prudence and competitiveness". | Mr Osborne will say that Mr Brown had "rested his claim to competence on three pillars - stability, prudence and competitiveness". |
| We have been supporting the system - through the Bank of England an extra £15bn has been put in to help them get through this difficult period Alistair Darling | We have been supporting the system - through the Bank of England an extra £15bn has been put in to help them get through this difficult period Alistair Darling |
| He will add: "Instead, after a decade of worldwide growth, we have ended up with housing boom followed by bust, spending followed by debt, and a country finding it more and more difficult to compete. | He will add: "Instead, after a decade of worldwide growth, we have ended up with housing boom followed by bust, spending followed by debt, and a country finding it more and more difficult to compete. |
| "The Labour Party are not simply attacking their prime minister's style, they are attacking his decisions - the 10p income tax rise on the low paid, the failure to control the debt bubble, the inability to lead the country in difficult times. | "The Labour Party are not simply attacking their prime minister's style, they are attacking his decisions - the 10p income tax rise on the low paid, the failure to control the debt bubble, the inability to lead the country in difficult times. |
| "And so Labour is fighting itself instead of fighting for the country." | "And so Labour is fighting itself instead of fighting for the country." |
| Mr Brown has said banks and building societies must pass on interest rate cuts to borrowers in a bid to help the mortgage market. | Mr Brown has said banks and building societies must pass on interest rate cuts to borrowers in a bid to help the mortgage market. |
| The Bank of England has cut the base rate three times since December, but the cost of borrowing is predicted to continue rising. | The Bank of England has cut the base rate three times since December, but the cost of borrowing is predicted to continue rising. |
| 'Difficult time' | 'Difficult time' |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling said the banks had to be prepared to play their part. | Chancellor Alistair Darling said the banks had to be prepared to play their part. |
| "We have been supporting the system - through the Bank of England an extra £15bn has been put in to help them get through this difficult period," he told the BBC. | "We have been supporting the system - through the Bank of England an extra £15bn has been put in to help them get through this difficult period," he told the BBC. |
| "In turn, we want to ensure we can help businesses, we can help individuals and homeowners by helping reopen the mortgage market and making sure the benefits of the interest rate cuts the Bank of England has been able to put in place twice this year can be passed on. | "In turn, we want to ensure we can help businesses, we can help individuals and homeowners by helping reopen the mortgage market and making sure the benefits of the interest rate cuts the Bank of England has been able to put in place twice this year can be passed on. |
| "We know this is a difficult time. We've got to get through it and we can get through it. What we are saying is - we are helping the banks, the banks have got to help people as well." | "We know this is a difficult time. We've got to get through it and we can get through it. What we are saying is - we are helping the banks, the banks have got to help people as well." |
| The survey also suggested that more than a third of people in the UK expected their financial position to worsen next year, although 44% said the credit crunch had so far had "no impact" on their lives. | The survey also suggested that more than a third of people in the UK expected their financial position to worsen next year, although 44% said the credit crunch had so far had "no impact" on their lives. |
| Harris Interactive conducted the poll online with a total of 6,434 adults - 1,122 in the UK. | Harris Interactive conducted the poll online with a total of 6,434 adults - 1,122 in the UK. |