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Gordon Brown's key election claim that spending will keep rising under Labour came under fresh strain tonight after a blistering clash in the Commons with David Cameron.
The Prime Minister found himself wrongfooted and jeered when he claimed that continual spending rises would include a “zero per cent” rise in one year.
With Tory MPs laughing at the Prime Minister's slip, Labour backbenchers looked distinctly uncomfortable. Mr Cameron twisted the knife by accusing Mr Brown of trying to win a fourth Labour term with a “deceit”.
It was widely agreed to be one of Mr Brown's weakest performances in his weekly clashes with Mr Cameron and came a day after members of the Cabinet questioned his key pre-election strategy of denying that spending cuts will be necessary to balance the books because of the recession.
Mr Cameron challenged Mr Brown with Treasury figures showing spending cuts ahead. “Will you accept that your own figures show that ... total spending will be cut after 2011?”
Mr Brown replied: “No. Total spending will continue to rise and it will be a zero per cent rise in 2013-14.”
His words were drowned out by laughter. Mr Cameron jibed: “I think that answer gets zero per cent. You said clearly: no, it will rise.” The Tory leader also referred to a study by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies that said most departments would face a 13 per cent budget cut if health and education were both protected from the axe.
Mr Brown said the Treasury figures were only “projections”, implying that future Budgets could change the outcome, perhaps by altering tax rates, but MPs on all sides were left convinced that Mr Brown will have to change his strategy after failing to win three consecutive weekly showdowns against Mr Cameron on the same issue. But Britain's public services watchdog warned today that frontline NHS and education services were “inefficient” and should not be exempt from spending cuts.
Speaking at a fringe event at the Local Government Association's annual conference, Audit Commission chief executive Steve Bundred said: “Both political parties have pledged that whatever happens they will protect health and education. I think that's a big mistake. Health and education are the two services that have been most generously funded over the past decade but they are among the most inefficient services.” Housing minister John Healey was at the event to hear the remarks. Mr Bundred later said there had been huge variations in costs for comparable frontline services — not just in back-office administration.
Lord Mandelson was forced to apologise to Chancellor Alistair Darling after saying on Monday that there would be no public spending review before the general election. The Business Secretary rang Mr Darling following his BBC interview and was later forced to “clarify” that all decisions remained with the Chancellor. Treasury sources say Mr Darling may still outline a set of future Whitehall savings early next year.
The CBI today warned that putting the review on hold until next year or 2011 would lead to greater “uncertainty about the broad direction of the public finances” among businesses.
Reader views (7)
Is it possible that the monster raving Browny party, could be re-elected?
Come on Cameron hurry up and get him out before he sends us back to the dark ages.
- Mr S.Port, London, 01/07/2009 21:29
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I reckon it's time to book the men in white coats!
The delusional fool and his band of thieving men should all "Go Now"
- Mrs, London UK, 01/07/2009 16:40
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is Brown and lord madleson not satisfied with the state we are in or they still want us to be delated and drained. Lord mandelson has done it Tanzania as a young man he derailed the country with his socialist ideas.
- Shiraz Hemani, London UK, 01/07/2009 16:22
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It is blatantly obvious to every man and woman in the street that spending will have to be cut to cope with the astronomical debt Brown has got this country into - and anyone who says otherwise is a liar.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 01/07/2009 15:58
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Zero brainpower = unelected PM. QED.
- Ted, London, 01/07/2009 15:42
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A zero percent rise? Gordon Clown is completely bonkers.
He's destroying our country by spending left right and centre without paying for it!
How much more tax and national insurance will we have to pay for his crazy spending spree?!
- Kate, Harrow, London, UK, 01/07/2009 15:27
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David Cameron should entertain the PM and the camp followers at PMQ's with a rendering of 'Time to say goodbye'.
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 01/07/2009 15:00
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