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Scottish Tory conference: Francis Maude says party 'won't duck deficit plans' | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
The Conservative Party will not duck its deficit reduction plans and will continue to cut public spending, UK minister Francis Maude has pledged. | |
The commitment came during his speech to the Scottish Tory conference. | |
He told the Edinburgh gathering that squeezed public resources would be targeted at those who "need it most". | |
The Tories, who are currently in a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, will fight the UK General Election in May 2015. | The Tories, who are currently in a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, will fight the UK General Election in May 2015. |
UK cabinet office minister, Mr Maude, said his party had a long-term economic plan to cut the deficit and "get the whole of Britain back on the rise". | |
He told the conference that in the first 10 months of government, there were "unprecedented savings of £3.75bn - enough to pay 200,000 junior nurses". | |
Mr Maude added that in 2011-12 there was a further "£5.5bn - the cost of around 1.6 million primary school places". | |
The politician said: "We've only just started. I look forward to announcing even bigger savings later in the summer for this financial year. | |
"By the end of this parliament we want to be saving about £20bn a year, with another £5bn the year after." | |
He went on: "We need to take the right decisions to ensure that Britain keeps its place in the world, we need to take long-term decisions in the interest of the whole country. | |
"So, we won't duck our deficit plans - but we will ensure squeezed public resources are targeted at the people who need it most. That's important for the security and peace of mind of all of us." | |
Mr Maude said that Labour in government spent money like it was "going out out of fashion". | |
Clear choice | |
He believed that the Tories in government had a clear choice, either to make "indiscriminate cuts to the front line services" or to "cut the costs of government, clamp down on waste and investing in growth". | |
The Scottish Conservative conference was opened on Friday by Prime Minister David Cameron. | The Scottish Conservative conference was opened on Friday by Prime Minister David Cameron. |
He told the gathering that Scottish independence would tear apart the UK "family of nations". | He told the gathering that Scottish independence would tear apart the UK "family of nations". |
Voters in Scotland go to the polls on 18 September when they will be asked the "yes/no" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" | Voters in Scotland go to the polls on 18 September when they will be asked the "yes/no" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" |
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