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Darling in tough spending cut vow | Darling in tough spending cut vow |
(about 8 hours later) | |
The chancellor has warned that Britain faces the toughest spending cuts in 20 years if Labour is re-elected. | |
Alistair Darling said prime minister Gordon Brown "accepts and knows" that reducing government borrowing was "never negotiable". | |
"Once recovery is established, we have to act," he told the Times newspaper. | |
But shadow chancellor George Osborne said there was still "complete confusion" within government about cutting public spending. | |
He said only the Tories could fix Britain's debt crisis. | |
In the interview, Mr Darling said: "The next spending review will be the toughest we have had for 20 years... to me, cutting the borrowing was never negotiable. Gordon accepts that, he knows that." | |
He also said Labour had to regain the middle ground to win the election and confirmed there would be a pre-election budget. | |
'Cut to the bone' | |
Mr Darling said electors support his plan to balance the books. | |
"Most people know that public spending has doubled over the last 10 to 12 years, so we are coming off a much higher base, " he said. | |
"We are not talking about a situation where we have already cut to the bone." | |
The Times says Mr Darling declined to to say whether he put any conditions on his continuing support for the prime minister, following last Wednesday's call for a leadership ballot by two former cabinet ministers. | |
We need a strong, united, Conservative government to get this country back on its feet Shadow chancellor George Osborne | |
Mr Darling eventually backed the prime minister, but only after a delay lasting several hours, and following a face-to-face meeting with Mr Brown. | |
Mr Osborne said there was still conflict between Mr Darling's plans and those of the prime minister. | |
"We've got complete confusion in the government," he said. "We've got Alistair Darling saying spending has got to be cut and Gordon Brown saying it's going to go up. | |
"We need a strong, united, Conservative government to get this country back on its feet." | |
Mr Osborne, who has just returned from a visit to Afghanistan, also said that despite planned cuts, "our spending on our troops in the front line is protected." | |
Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman, also said there was "an alarming divide" between Mr Darling and Mr Brown. | |
"We desperately need a more coherent approach to this problem," he said. "The economy can't be managed on the back of power-play between government ministers." | |
'Talk tough' | |
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said confirmation of the pre-election budget was designed to stem speculation there may be an early election. | |
By law, there has to be three months between December's pre-budget report and the actual budget, making a March election all but impossible. | By law, there has to be three months between December's pre-budget report and the actual budget, making a March election all but impossible. |
Labour has been criticised by its opponents for not spelling out how it would deliver the pledge to halve Britain's deficit over a four-year period. | Labour has been criticised by its opponents for not spelling out how it would deliver the pledge to halve Britain's deficit over a four-year period. |
Our correspondent said to retain the confidence of the markets the chancellor wanted to talk tough about what would happen if a Labour government is re-elected. | Our correspondent said to retain the confidence of the markets the chancellor wanted to talk tough about what would happen if a Labour government is re-elected. |
He also indicated that it was essential for Labour to regain credibility with middle-class voters and stressed that election could only be won if his party recaptures the middle ground. | He also indicated that it was essential for Labour to regain credibility with middle-class voters and stressed that election could only be won if his party recaptures the middle ground. |