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Osborne: Brown misled MPs on cuts Osborne: Brown misled MPs on cuts
(30 minutes later)
Leaked Treasury documents show Gordon Brown "misled" Parliament on the scale of planned spending cuts, shadow chancellor George Osborne has said.Leaked Treasury documents show Gordon Brown "misled" Parliament on the scale of planned spending cuts, shadow chancellor George Osborne has said.
The papers suggest the government is preparing "near 10%" cuts in departmental budgets over the four years from 2010, he told the BBC. The papers suggest the government is preparing 9.3% cuts in departmental budgets over the four years from 2010, he told the BBC.
He said Mr Brown had told MPs he was not planning 10% cuts.He said Mr Brown had told MPs he was not planning 10% cuts.
The Treasury has refused to comment on the 22 page document, which has been leaked to the Conservative Party.The Treasury has refused to comment on the 22 page document, which has been leaked to the Conservative Party.
Conservative leader David Cameron, speaking at his monthly press conference, said: "Gordon Brown was in fact denying something that his own civil servants were telling him was true."
He said the Conservatives had been "candid" about the need for spending cuts and would spell out their plans in more detail closer to the next election.
Defence cutsDefence cuts
Mr Osborne said the documents, which he said had been handed to the party "in the proverbial brown envelope", showed Mr Brown had misled Parliament.Mr Osborne said the documents, which he said had been handed to the party "in the proverbial brown envelope", showed Mr Brown had misled Parliament.
"It's about trust and honesty... what they show - these are the internal government projections for spending - and they show that the government has been planning since the Budget a near 10% cut in departmental budgets."It's about trust and honesty... what they show - these are the internal government projections for spending - and they show that the government has been planning since the Budget a near 10% cut in departmental budgets.
"And of course since the Budget we have had Gordon Brown and others on programmes like this saying there was a choice between Labour investment and Tory cuts, and very specifically attacking us for being the people planning 10% cuts, and saying David Cameron was Mr 10% and so on."And of course since the Budget we have had Gordon Brown and others on programmes like this saying there was a choice between Labour investment and Tory cuts, and very specifically attacking us for being the people planning 10% cuts, and saying David Cameron was Mr 10% and so on.
"And now we know that Gordon Brown misled the public, misled Parliament, was not telling the truth, was sitting all the time on internal Treasury documents telling him the real truth.""And now we know that Gordon Brown misled the public, misled Parliament, was not telling the truth, was sitting all the time on internal Treasury documents telling him the real truth."
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programmeFROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
In a separate development, Mr Osborne has revealed he is considering major cuts to the defence budget if the Conservatives win power.In a separate development, Mr Osborne has revealed he is considering major cuts to the defence budget if the Conservatives win power.
Speaking at Spectator magazine event on Tuesday, he mentioned the £20bn Eurofighter/Typhoon and a £2.7bn order for A400 transport aircraft as possible targets, but stressed that as an opposition spokesman he did not have access to the information needed to make a final decision.Speaking at Spectator magazine event on Tuesday, he mentioned the £20bn Eurofighter/Typhoon and a £2.7bn order for A400 transport aircraft as possible targets, but stressed that as an opposition spokesman he did not have access to the information needed to make a final decision.
The Conservatives have said they will launch a Strategic Defence Review, looking at all aspects of defence spending, if they win the next election. The Conservatives have said they will immediately launch a Strategic Defence Review, looking at all aspects of defence spending, if they win the next election.
A Tory spokesman said: "All defence programmes will need to demonstrate their value for money before we start spending taxpayers' money.A Tory spokesman said: "All defence programmes will need to demonstrate their value for money before we start spending taxpayers' money.
"We can only do this after we have had an SDR to determine the capabilities we need to protect our national interests.""We can only do this after we have had an SDR to determine the capabilities we need to protect our national interests."
'Frontline services''Frontline services'
On Tuesday, Mr Brown admitted for the first time that Labour would have to make cuts in public spending if it is returned to power at the next election but he said the party would never "support cuts in the vital frontline services on which people depend".On Tuesday, Mr Brown admitted for the first time that Labour would have to make cuts in public spending if it is returned to power at the next election but he said the party would never "support cuts in the vital frontline services on which people depend".
But in June, the prime minister claimed that the government was planning real terms increases in public spending.But in June, the prime minister claimed that the government was planning real terms increases in public spending.
And he seized on comments by shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley, who said that in order to protect spending on health and schools a future Conservative government would cut spending in other areas by a total of 10% between 2011 and 2015.And he seized on comments by shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley, who said that in order to protect spending on health and schools a future Conservative government would cut spending in other areas by a total of 10% between 2011 and 2015.
Mr Lansley said the Conservatives had been working from the government's own figures released at the time of the Budget, which showed departmental spending - rather than the overall headline figure for public spending - would be cut in real terms by 7%.Mr Lansley said the Conservatives had been working from the government's own figures released at the time of the Budget, which showed departmental spending - rather than the overall headline figure for public spending - would be cut in real terms by 7%.
But at prime ministers' questions, Mr Brown taunted Conservative leader David Cameron about cuts, saying he had "better admit" that he wants to cut expenditure by "10%".But at prime ministers' questions, Mr Brown taunted Conservative leader David Cameron about cuts, saying he had "better admit" that he wants to cut expenditure by "10%".
"The public will remember one thing about the last week - 10% cuts in public expenditure under the Tories, investment under Labour," Mr Brown told on MPs on 17 June."The public will remember one thing about the last week - 10% cuts in public expenditure under the Tories, investment under Labour," Mr Brown told on MPs on 17 June.
Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable has urged politicians on all sides to stop arguing about "generalities" on spending cuts and set out their proposals.Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable has urged politicians on all sides to stop arguing about "generalities" on spending cuts and set out their proposals.