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PM warns of 'savage' Tory cuts PM renews 'spending cuts' attack
(about 5 hours later)
Gordon Brown has accused Conservative leader David Cameron of planning public spending cuts that would cost jobs and make the recession worse. Gordon Brown has again accused the Conservatives of planning "savage" public spending cuts that would cost jobs and make the recession worse.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Gordon Brown said the Tories wanted to cut public spending by a "savage" 10%. Writing in the Sunday Mirror, the prime minister said shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley had "let the cat out of the bag" about spending cuts.
The prime minister said shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley had "let the cat out of the bag" over spending cuts in an interview last Wednesday. But the Tories have accused Mr Brown of being "totally disingenuous" and have dismissed the row as "juvenile".
But the Tories have accused Mr Brown of being "totally disingenuous". Independent experts believe cuts will happen whoever wins the next election.
'Real jobs' Tax cut
Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Mr Lansley appeared to suggest that, in order to protect "priority" spending on the NHS and schools, a future Conservative government would cut expenditure in other areas by a total of 10% between 2011 and 2015. Speaking to the BBC this week, Mr Lansley appeared to suggest that, in order to protect "priority" spending on the NHS and schools, a future Conservative government would cut expenditure in other areas by a total of 10% between 2011 and 2015.
The Conservatives insisted afterwards that Mr Lansley had been referring to Labour's own figures from the last Budget. The Conservatives said he had been referring to Labour's own figures from the last Budget, which showed departmental spending - rather than the overall headline public spending figure - will be cut by 7% in real terms from next year.
In his article, Mr Brown accused the Tories of devising a "cuts plan that is wide, deep and immediate in order to fund a £200,000 tax cut for the 3,000 richest families". Those aren't just numbers on the page, but real jobs hanging in the balance Gordon Brown
But in his article, Mr Brown accused the Tories of devising a "cuts plan that is wide, deep and immediate in order to fund a £200,000 tax cut for the 3,000 richest families" - a reference to a Conservative pledge to scrap inheritance tax on properties worth less than £1m.
Branding Mr Cameron "Mr 10%", he said the Tory leader "would actually make the recession worse, by slowing public spending at exactly the time we need it most".Branding Mr Cameron "Mr 10%", he said the Tory leader "would actually make the recession worse, by slowing public spending at exactly the time we need it most".
He said a 10% spending cut would mean "44,000 fewer teachers, 15,000 fewer police, 10,000 fewer soldiers and, each year, 32,000 fewer university places".He said a 10% spending cut would mean "44,000 fewer teachers, 15,000 fewer police, 10,000 fewer soldiers and, each year, 32,000 fewer university places".
He added: "Those aren't just numbers on the page, but real jobs hanging in the balance."He added: "Those aren't just numbers on the page, but real jobs hanging in the balance."
'Misleading' 'Juvenile debate'
The Conservatives said Mr Brown was trying to mislead the public. On Thursday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne conceded Labour would have to make "painful choices" on tax and spending but insisted overall spending would continue to grow.
But the Conservatives say they have taken a decision to protect health spending while Labour has not, and accuse the government of planning to halve capital spending, money for new schools and hospitals.
Last week shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond accused the government of being dishonest by saying it would not cut public spending.
He said: "Something has got to give and what the public want is for us to stop this sterile, rather juvenile debate and start talking about how we are going to deal with this very difficult period for public spending in a way that minimises the impact on front line public services."
The prime minister is seeking to regain the initiative after the Labour Party's poor performance in the local and European elections.The prime minister is seeking to regain the initiative after the Labour Party's poor performance in the local and European elections.
On Friday the cabinet met for a three-hour session to discuss the "next steps" for public sector reform. At this stage, neither party have spelled out their detailed spending plans beyond 2011 but the debate will intensify in the run-up to the election.
Ministers are expected to pursue the idea that the next general election will be a choice between Labour spending and Tory cuts over the coming days. Both of the main parties will to explain how they will reduce the spiralling level of public debt without being forced into both tax rises and deep spending cuts.
In its analysis of the Budget in April, the respected Institute of Financial Studies said the country faced "two parliaments of pain".
It said there was £90bn "black hole" in the public finances and it would cost £2,480 in higher taxes or spending cuts per family to bring the budget back into balance.
Labour disputed this figure and said the IFS had not understood the full picture.
BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders said that "the government's own numbers imply a 10% real cut in spending on other departments between 2011 and 2013 if the NHS and DFID are protected".