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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Tories scaring voters, says Brown | Tories scaring voters, says Brown |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Gordon Brown has accused the Tories of trying to "scare" people into accepting a "bleak" future with talk of the record deficit. | Gordon Brown has accused the Tories of trying to "scare" people into accepting a "bleak" future with talk of the record deficit. |
| In a speech to centre-left European leaders the prime minister attacked the response of the "well-financed right wing" to the financial crisis. | In a speech to centre-left European leaders the prime minister attacked the response of the "well-financed right wing" to the financial crisis. |
| It comes as more than 60 economists have backed the government's decision to delay spending cuts until 2011. | It comes as more than 60 economists have backed the government's decision to delay spending cuts until 2011. |
| In January ministers borrowed another £4.3bn to plug the hole in UK finances. | In January ministers borrowed another £4.3bn to plug the hole in UK finances. |
| The parties' rival plans to tackle the deficit - set to rise to £178bn this year - is set to be a key issue at the election, widely expected to be held on 6 May. | |
| 'Bleak and austere' | 'Bleak and austere' |
| In a speech in London, Mr Brown said the letters from the economists showed the "first priority must be robust growth" and criticised opponents of government action. | In a speech in London, Mr Brown said the letters from the economists showed the "first priority must be robust growth" and criticised opponents of government action. |
| "I say to the British people this is not the time to put the recovery at risk; this is the time to make sure that growth and jobs are secured," he said. | "I say to the British people this is not the time to put the recovery at risk; this is the time to make sure that growth and jobs are secured," he said. |
| They seek to frighten us with the present level of the deficit Gordon Brown | They seek to frighten us with the present level of the deficit Gordon Brown |
| "This well-financed right wing are not only trying to blame governments for the crisis, but trying to use legitimate concerns about deficits to scare people into accepting a bleak and austere picture of the future for the majority." | |
| He accused "the right-wing" of "using the cloak of action" on debt to hide their "real position" - which he said was "an ideology that would always make government the problem and deny people the helping hand that government can be". | |
| Mr Brown added: "As they say of the critics of our growth strategy, they seek to frighten us with the present level of the deficit but mention neither the automatic reduction that would be achieved as and when growth is resumed, nor the effects of growth on investor confidence for the good of the British people." | Mr Brown added: "As they say of the critics of our growth strategy, they seek to frighten us with the present level of the deficit but mention neither the automatic reduction that would be achieved as and when growth is resumed, nor the effects of growth on investor confidence for the good of the British people." |
| On Saturday the Labour Party will launch its election slogan and themes, which will include a promise to secure the economic recovery, and Mr Brown was boosted by the letters from senior economists on Friday. | |
| But on Sunday, 20 economists backed the Conservatives' call for cuts this year in a letter to the Sunday Times. On Tuesday Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson called for spending cuts to begin this year - saying the UK budget deficit was a "serious risk" to economic recovery. | |
| Official figures out on Friday showed the government borrowed another £4.3bn last month to plug the growing hole in the UK's finances. | |
| It was the first time the government has borrowed money in January - usually a bumper month for income from tax receipts - since records began in 1993. | It was the first time the government has borrowed money in January - usually a bumper month for income from tax receipts - since records began in 1993. |
| In his speech Mr Brown also accused the Conservative of an "obsession" with "narrow nationalism" - a reference to the party's decision to leave the main centre-right grouping in the European Parliament. | |
| He said the party was "totally out of tune with the modern world". | |
| The Conservatives have accused ministers of spending more time attacking them than making their own case to stay in power. | The Conservatives have accused ministers of spending more time attacking them than making their own case to stay in power. |
| "I would say we are running a very positive, a very invigorating campaign," Mr Cameron said on Thursday. | "I would say we are running a very positive, a very invigorating campaign," Mr Cameron said on Thursday. |
| "I haven't seen any [Labour] posters they have produced that don't have a picture of me on it. They don't seem to have anything positive to say." | "I haven't seen any [Labour] posters they have produced that don't have a picture of me on it. They don't seem to have anything positive to say." |