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Senior Tory lets slip plan to cut public spending by 10 per cent
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent10.06.09
Senior Conservative Andrew Lansley plunged the Tories' economic policy into confusion today by saying they were planning serious public spending cuts.
The shadow health secretary stressed that departments would have cuts of 10 per cent in Tory efforts to balance the books if they win the next general election.
Speaking on BBC radio, he emphasised that the NHS, schools and international development would be spared the axe.
"We are going to increase the resources for the NHS, we are going to increase resources for international development aid, we are going to increase resources for schools," he said.
"But that does mean over three years after 2011, a 10 per cent reduction in the departmental expenditure limits for other departments."
He admitted it would be "very tough" and, stressing that the NHS would get more funding, he said: "Unfortunately, what this means is there is going to have to be very powerful spending constraint elsewhere across Government."
Labour MPs immediately seized on Mr Lansley's comments to demand the Tories say what services they are planning to chop.
Former minister John Spellar said: "Andrew Lansley has let the cat out of the bag. Their spokesmen in transport, defence and most other departments have to come clean on what Tory policies would mean for frontline services and where the axe will fall."
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne's office insisted Mr Lansley was talking about Labour's spending plans not the Conservative economic blueprint.
Mr Lansley was on the radio after the NHS Confederation, which represents 90 per cent of health service organisations, had warned of job cuts because of a £15 billion funding shortfall.
Mr Osborne's spokesman said: "Andrew Lansley was reinforcing what the NHS Confederation were saying: that Labour are trying to deceive people by saying they can avoid cuts.
"If cuts in health are to be avoided, Labour plans to cut other spending by 10 per cent."
Health Secretary Andy Burnham seized on Mr Lansley's remarks: "He was saying they would spend more on health but he also indicated there would be drastic cuts."
Reader views (6)
Didn't they announce this last year? They said they were going to try and sort out the civil service getting rid of non essential personnel (and let's be honest here, that's a lot of civil servants).
- Bob, Cheam
Why is international 'development' excluded from any considered savings?
- Jules_London, london
Thank god, common sense at last, now they can join the real world.
- C Cusano, Bedford
MORE SPIN AND WAFFLE.
THEY CAN SAVE £100,000,000 EVERY YEAR BY CUTTING OUT MP's EXPENSES.
BETTER STILL, STOP ALL MP's EXPENSES, CUT THEIR OBSCENE SALARIES AND SELL OFF ALL THE SECOND HOMES AND THEIR CONTENTS COURTESY OF JOHN LEWIS AND RETURN THE CASH TO JOE PUBLIC.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe, Lancaster
Good - why not make it 25%? Keep the top managers and the front line staff...lose the useless third in the middle.
Chap on the TV news last night from the NHS. Moaning about from 2010 the 'tap will be shut off', 'we've had seven years of plenty'. Couple of questions then. Why then when you say you've had years of plenty does the NHS still have major problems? Refuse to fund life saving new drugs..postcode lottery etc? Waiting lists? etc
Second why did you not plan to keep some reserve in hand in case the gravy train came off the rails? Was it so you managers could all have expensive company cars at our expense? Waste billions on the IT projects nobody wanted?
Why did you not work leaner and cut the waste out?
Truly we are a nation ruled by half wits.
- Ethan, UK
I bet we won't miss the outreach and diversity workers and their ilk.
Looking forward to it already.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
