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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Public spending row intensifies | Public spending row intensifies |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Ministers will have to be "defter and smarter" when it comes to public spending, Ed Balls has said, while denying future cuts are inevitable. | Ministers will have to be "defter and smarter" when it comes to public spending, Ed Balls has said, while denying future cuts are inevitable. |
| The schools secretary denied Labour were ducking the issue, as the debate over spending and alleged cuts hots up. | The schools secretary denied Labour were ducking the issue, as the debate over spending and alleged cuts hots up. |
| The Tories accuse Gordon Brown of misleading the public on spending cuts. | The Tories accuse Gordon Brown of misleading the public on spending cuts. |
| And Lib Dems Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said both parties needed to be much more honest about the fact "big programmes would have to be cut back". | And Lib Dems Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said both parties needed to be much more honest about the fact "big programmes would have to be cut back". |
| Spending priorities | Spending priorities |
| The debate over public spending continues to intensify ahead of the publication, on Monday, of Labour's future strategy for public services and its draft legislative programme for the next year. | The debate over public spending continues to intensify ahead of the publication, on Monday, of Labour's future strategy for public services and its draft legislative programme for the next year. |
| David Cameron has called on the prime minister to apologise after he said he had been caught "red-handed" saying that capital expenditure would rise up to 2012 when it will actually fall after 2010. | David Cameron has called on the prime minister to apologise after he said he had been caught "red-handed" saying that capital expenditure would rise up to 2012 when it will actually fall after 2010. |
| The Tories say the Treasury's own forecasts suggest real spending will fall after 2011 while Labour says the Conservatives are planning 10% cuts in many areas. | The Tories say the Treasury's own forecasts suggest real spending will fall after 2011 while Labour says the Conservatives are planning 10% cuts in many areas. |
| We have to be much more honest with people than we have been in the past Vince Cable class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8122798.stm">Ministers unveil cancer pledge | |
| On Friday, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn appeared to suggest that his department would have less to spend after the next election - the first minister to publicly acknowledge this - but No 10 rejected such claims. | On Friday, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn appeared to suggest that his department would have less to spend after the next election - the first minister to publicly acknowledge this - but No 10 rejected such claims. |
| Mr Balls acknowledged government departments would have to make difficult decision about spending priorities but he denied that overall spending cuts were inevitable. | Mr Balls acknowledged government departments would have to make difficult decision about spending priorities but he denied that overall spending cuts were inevitable. |
| Mr Balls said a "steady" reduction in the spiralling public debt was necessary but he said he was confident that as the economic outlook improved, Labour would be able to "release resources" to key areas. | |
| "We are increasing investment this year and next year," he told the Andrew Marr programme. | "We are increasing investment this year and next year," he told the Andrew Marr programme. |
| He said he "rejected entirely" reports that Labour had ditched plans for a comprehensive spending review this side of an election - expected next year - in order to avoid a debate on the issue. | |
| The last comprehensive spending review (CSR) - normally held every two years - was in 2007, covering the period up to 2011. | |
| Mr Balls said this was a decision for Chancellor Alistair Darling and he contrasted Labour's commitment to public sector investment with the Conservatives. | Mr Balls said this was a decision for Chancellor Alistair Darling and he contrasted Labour's commitment to public sector investment with the Conservatives. |
| He said the Tories would have to "slash" spending in areas such as schools and defence on "day two" of coming to power in order to fund their pledge to cut inheritance tax. | He said the Tories would have to "slash" spending in areas such as schools and defence on "day two" of coming to power in order to fund their pledge to cut inheritance tax. |
| Honest debate | Honest debate |
| Voters would have a clear choice at the next election as Labour and the Conservatives had "very different priorities on tax and spending". | Voters would have a clear choice at the next election as Labour and the Conservatives had "very different priorities on tax and spending". |
| "We must set out the differences in values, judgements and priorities," he said. | |
| The Lib Dems said ministers were not telling the truth when it came to expenditure as current spending was effectively already being cut. | The Lib Dems said ministers were not telling the truth when it came to expenditure as current spending was effectively already being cut. |
| Mr Cable said the public wanted a mature and open debate about spending before the election, adding the Tories must be more upfront about what they would do. | Mr Cable said the public wanted a mature and open debate about spending before the election, adding the Tories must be more upfront about what they would do. |
| "We have to be much more honest with people than we have been in the past," he told Andrew Marr. | "We have to be much more honest with people than we have been in the past," he told Andrew Marr. |
| He added: "We have to identify the big programmes now which will have to be cut back." | He added: "We have to identify the big programmes now which will have to be cut back." |