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PM’s lack of honesty on cuts is economic liability, says Clarke
Joe Murphy, Political Editor15.07.09
Tory big beast Kenneth Clarke today accused the Prime Minister of risking the economy by a “lack of candour” about the need for spending cuts.
The former chancellor's charge increased pressure on Gordon Brown to admit that cutbacks are inevitable in the face of spiralling state debts.
Tories are convinced that they have defeated Mr Brown's attempts to argue that the next election will be a choice between “Labour investment” and “Tory cuts”. A senior Tory figure said: “It is now going to be a choice of Tory cuts versus Labour cuts — which we know we have more credibility on.”
The issue is expected to dominate this afternoon's final clash at Prime Minister's Questions before the summer Commons recess.
Mr Clarke said: “The risk, if we do not have a sensible debate on public spending, is that no action will be taken to get public borrowing on to a credible downward course.
“Interest rates will be driven up and stifle the recovery before it can become established. Not only will the consumer be crowded out but business will be too.”
He claimed that Mr Brown's assurances that spending could rise was no longer believed because the Government had a track record of failing to live up to its rhetoric.
“I cannot recall a time in my four decades in Parliament when the pronouncements and actions of the Government of the day have carried less credibility,” he said. “At the heart of it lies a basic lack of candour from this Prime Minister.”
MPs on both sides of the House think Mr Brown has struggled to win the argument that voters can expect higher spending from Labour while they should fear harsh cuts from the Tories.
A poll yesterday showed that the public supports spending curbs by two to one — a reverse of the accepted political wisdom that people do not vote for cuts.
Last night Lord Mandelson appeared to change tack completely when he warned there would be a need for spending cuts and efficiency savings in Whitehall over the next 10 years to help repair the public finances.
He said: “There will be spending choices and a growing need for greater efficiency across the board, and less spending in some programmes.”
Lord Mandelson insisted there would be “sustained investment in schools, police, hospitals, international aid and frontline services”.
Reader views (15)
The scariest thing of all is that BLAIR may become PRESIDENT of the EU and guess who would want to follow in his footsteps? Between them they have ruined England. Europe will become a stinking third world pit under Blair. And the EU ministers will of course learn from the master how to lie, cheat, steal and wreck countries. God help us.
- Lin, London England
Non of this matters any more,,Blair will become the new president of the EU......Brown will give him any money he wants....To push through laws on this country..Why do we need any these MP's they will be doing nothing for those who elected them..........Our parliament is reduced to a third division league of nothing and nobodies......tax up for sure, cut backs for sure...money pouring into the UE coffers.......not back into this country........mandelson is running this country now.....He is doing all the soundbites.......And we the people are standing for it.....
- Themanoftruth, United Kingdom
Of course Pa McRuin will be 'Bigging It Up Large' for New Labour, so will his acoylytes, all on the orders of Lord Meddlesome. Mr McRuin has to even when he must know that nobody believes a dicky-bird he says. (Except for Fools and Drunks!)
New Labour Faithful will be using the noble Science of 'Turd Polishing' to make Nu-Labour 'shiny, shiny, shiny'. Of course only fools or drunks will believe anything that see, hear or read about.
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK
WATCH OUT for tax increases by the back door of investment to reduce carbon emissions. Brown did it before with car emission's taxes which brought about the collapse of the home car industry here. Now we have to pay people to buy cars made abroad with your own money, while Jaguar lay off workers this very day. Like the 10p tax designed to wrong foot the Tories, his stunts always seem to bite him in the backside and we pay for his errors. Green tax plans will be fed out like sausages from a machine under the guise of saving the planet and massive new job creations but yesterday the Isle of Wight company which makes the blades for the windmills was told no to investment money by this very Government, for its expansion plans and is being wound up as a result. The blades will be made in China. So much for British Jobs for British Workers - a bald face lie. These "new jobs" are smoke and mirrors. Another Brown stunt and pure rubbish. They will be used NOT to cut spending but increase it. Brown is trying to wrong foot the Tories again but with but YOUR money. Mr Darling is quietly telling us what needs to be done at his peril. He IS an honest man, guess who isn't?
- Albert Hall, hove england
It started with "things can only get better". It should end with "it's all over now, baby blue."
- J.W.Hardin, marsascala, malta
We don’t need spending cuts at all; all we need is for the tax payer to stop funding and bailing out the wealthy members of the Elite classes.
Robin Brown; robes the poor to give to the rich, and that is the real problem with his, and Blair’s brand of socialism.
But it was good news yesterday; they talked a lot more fluffy talk about what they need to do for the aging population in the next 30 years, after the next election; knowing they won’t be in power after the next election.
The selling of old peoples homes to fund their care was ‘’Thatcher’s idea’’ but Blair could have altered that when he came to power; but like all the other things he should have done as a socialist; he blatantly refused to do, as he wanted to carry on Tory ideology as he was a born Tory anyway.
Mind you; I personally don’t see a problem with selling your home if you don’t need it anymore; and you can’t run or maintain it anyway, plus you will be living in a care home instead etc, they only real objectors seem to be those that wanted the old person in care’s home to sell for themselves; you would be amazed at the number of vultures waiting for people to die; so they can inherit everything and have a good time with that persons wealth etc.
Good luck everyone; life changes everyday; but you might not know it yet.
- Mickinlondon, london.
Kev, London, UK, agree totally! Until MP's understand that they are a representative of the electorate, and, a mouthpiece in parliament to represent that electorate majority view (not their personal or party views) they will remain irrelevant. Why should I waste my time voting for someone to represent me in parliament, when, I know they will not! The problem for democracy is that people that have political views feel that the have been 'disenfranchised'that there is no politician/party they can trust, and, parliament is a place for inadequates who cannot make it in the real world. This of course is a very dangerous place to be, and, a position entirely of our politicians making!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London.
Another massive increase in the number of unemployed announced today. A further drain on public finances . The only time this government will stop borrowing money is when the lenders say sorry Mr Brown - No more. The country is insolvent Mr Brown and insolvencies usually lead to resignations.
- Robin Brittain, Wolverhampton UK
Labour admit to spending cuts? You can just see a shiver going round the cabinet table looking for a spine to go up!
- Ron, Chislehurst
This country used to have one of the best pensions systems in the world, then this bunch came into power, immediately taxed pensions funds, effectively killing off final salary pension schemes and now we have one of the worst! Completely unforgiveable and the sooner Brown and his lying cronies are kicked out the better.
- John, London
Lack or candour about spending cuts!Well Mr Clark i can tell you the public are worried about the lack of candour"as you choose to put it"about everything that comes out of parliament and is it any wonder,the public have every right to be cynical as past behaviour is the best indicator of future behaviour..As i reach my 57th year,for the first time since i was eligible to vote i can honestly say i will not be casting my vote at the next general election simply because i do not trust any body from the main political parties,and i know im not alone.
- Kev, London-UK
It makes one wistful for the days of John Major, when every week at PMQ's he would announce that he'd spotted the Green Shoots of Recovery and that As night follows Day his Government would soon be able to resume Tax Cuts Year on Year as Tory Policies produced a vibrant recovery. I can't remember Honest Ken warning Major not to be such an idiot.
- R Burton, Ealing England
Brown's dissembling? A Government that would need satnav to get to the bathroom? A Cabinet full of bottling sycophants? New Labour backbenchers that talk-the-talk but cannot walk-the-walk?
So, folks, what's new in dumpUK?
- Ted, London
This Labour Governent has ruined both the economy and the fabric of culture tat made England England. From his lunatic decision to sell british gold when it was at its lowest price, to its complete inability to cope with market forces. This incessant erosian of British culture, a law to outlaw fox hunting by people who have no understanding of the country side. The raw greed demonstrated by Tony and cherie blair and the rat pack ministers. All browns so called expert imported ministers have left im like rats from a sinking ship. It is critical to get this moronic Government out of power and return England to stable direction under the conservatives.
- Alan Davey, London Uk
It´s not just lack of straight 'talk' that´s stifling economic recovery, it´s lack of understanding. It´s obvious this government does not understand the economy and finance, unless it´s claiming expenses on "home-flipping". Gordon Brown has shown brief flashes of insight in the past, but even he has lost the plot recently.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
