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Osborne and Balls trade pre-Budget blows in tabloids | Osborne and Balls trade pre-Budget blows in tabloids |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Chancellor George Osborne and shadow chancellor Ed Balls have set out their competing messages in Sunday newspaper columns ahead of the Budget. | |
Writing in the Sun on Sunday, Mr Osborne pledges to build what he calls a "resilient economy". | |
Mr Balls, in the Sunday Mirror, says millions of people are not feeling any benefit from economic recovery. | |
In Wednesday's Budget, the chancellor is expected to present a message that the recovery is under way. | |
But he will also warn that the job is "very far from done", and announce more details of his plan for a cap on parts of the welfare budget. | |
'Terrible mistakes' | 'Terrible mistakes' |
In his column, Mr Osborne says he believes in being "upfront with people" and warned that "Britain is still borrowing too much". | |
He warns that the UK must "invest more in export", but also says that the progress made so far means that families already have more security and a greater peace of mind. | He warns that the UK must "invest more in export", but also says that the progress made so far means that families already have more security and a greater peace of mind. |
He writes: "The government's long-term economic plan is providing stability by dealing with our record debts. And the plan is helping businesses create new jobs at record rates. | |
"What this means for families is more security and peace of mind. My Budget next week will set out what we must do to build a resilient economy. | |
"We must not repeat what even the Labour politicians responsible now admit were the terrible mistakes of the past that got Britain into this mess." | "We must not repeat what even the Labour politicians responsible now admit were the terrible mistakes of the past that got Britain into this mess." |
'Out of touch' | 'Out of touch' |
Mr Balls challenges these claims, writing: "We can all expect George Osborne and David Cameron to try to claim everything is going well. | |
"But that's totally out of touch when millions of working people on middle and lower incomes are not feeling any recovery at all." | |
Mr Balls' proposals include freezing energy bills until 2017 and cutting taxes for working people on middle and low incomes. | Mr Balls' proposals include freezing energy bills until 2017 and cutting taxes for working people on middle and low incomes. |
He also says he wants to expand free childcare to 25 hours a week for working parents of three and four-year-olds and introduce a back-to-work scheme for young people, paid for by taxing bank bonuses. | He also says he wants to expand free childcare to 25 hours a week for working parents of three and four-year-olds and introduce a back-to-work scheme for young people, paid for by taxing bank bonuses. |
Both men are due to appear on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show from 09:00 GMT to talk further about their proposals. The Budget is at 12:30 GMT on Wednesday. |