Brown and Cameron clash on spending

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But Conservative leader David Cameron challenged Gordon Brown to admit that his own plans would see real terms cuts in spending after 2011.

Mr Cameron was rebuked by Speaker Michael Martin for telling Mr Brown directly: "You are simply not worthy to be Prime Minister."

The rowdy exchanges got under way with a jibe from the Opposition leader over Mr Brown's current slump in popularity.

"Some Labour MPs were a bit confused when they were told about Mr Ten percent. They thought it meant your opinion poll ratings," he said to Tory laughter.

"In our exchanges last week you read out figures for total Government spending after 2011. Will you agree that using the Treasury's own forecasts for inflation, those figures mean that spending is going to be cut in real terms?"

Mr Brown said he welcomed and "relished" the chance to debate policy, for once, with the Opposition.

"The first thing you have to confirm is that you ... will cut spending by 5% this year. That means that vital services will be losing money.

"We are investing to get ourselves out of the recession. The Conservatives would cut and make the recession last longer ... As for spending beyond 2011, you know the truth. You want to spend 10% less in most departments. We want to spend more."

Mr Cameron said this was "absolutely no answer" to his question.