Afternoon:
14°c
Boris Johnson a blueprint for next Tory government cuts
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor10.09.09
The next Tory Government will model its cost-cutting plans on the party's London councils and
Boris Johnson's mayoralty, the shadow chancellor said today.
George Osborne said a Cameron administration would embrace lessons learned by Tories councils in an “age of austerity”.
He singled out the Mayor for freezing the council tax precept while increasing transparency
on spending and praised Hammersmith and Fulham
council for slashing bureaucracy and councillors' allowances.
“When it comes to rooting out waste and cutting costs Conservative councils are showing
us it can be done,” he told the party's local government leaders.
“In short, Conservative Whitehall will have much to learn from Conservative town halls.”
His remarks came after shadow health secretary
Andrew Lansley also tried to placate the right of the party by stressing that the NHS would
have to find efficiencies to help fund increases in spending.
Mr Lansley has surprised some colleagues by pledging to ringfence the NHS from any cuts and
has committed the Tories to real terms increases in spending.
But he added last night that the rise may be small: “It's by no means a blank cheque. Even with small increases, NHS services will have to tighten their belts.”
Labour sources signalled earlier this week the NHS would not be exempt from spending cuts.
The pitfalls of copying every town hall idea were highlighted yesterday.
David Cameron said this week the Tories were determined to tackle Labour's ballooning budget deficit and politicians could take a lead by cutting ministerial pay and ending subsidised
food and drink for MPs.
But London Assembly member Brian Coleman — whose Barnet council is offering “Ryanair-style” services — said “deep, 20 per cent cuts” were needed and ridiculed the Tory leader's plans to attack perks as “trifling nonsense”. Mr Osborne stopped short of praising Barnet.
Tory-run Bromley council also caused embarrassment last month when it considered
plans to use public money to subsidise private school fees.
In a speech to the Conservative Councillors' Seminar, Mr Osborne said Whitehall should harness the “unique opportunity” of most councils in England now being controlled by the
Tories.
“While we develop policies for delivering public services in an age of austerity, local councils
have got on with doing it.”
The Tories also plan to slash the size of the Government. The Cabinet, including attendees, may be cut from 32 to 20. The number of Government ministers and whips may fall from 119 to 100.
Reader views (6)
Cameron would do well to copy H&Fulham and Wandsworth councils for keeping costs down. Generally well accepted by the 2 boroughs residents.
Boris will have to raise fares, because of lack of revenue. So it makes it a stupid decision to scrap the bendies for £30M (I believe is the conservative est.). Surely he could have replaced them at the end of their lives and saved a far bit.
Boris is fatastic at PR, noone could do a better job promoting London abroad. However he is weak at squeezing in time between photo ops for actually running London, has its advantages - he is never there to be blamed.
Cameron tread carefully, the Boris strategy will not work in government, well it might at first but eventually you have to make decisions
- Bob, london
If Boris Johnson's Mayoralty is anything to go by , we are in for lot's and lot's of scandals and problems if David Cameron is elected as Prime Minister. " BEWARE "
- Mr Tomis, London
Kimberley - obviously you're not very bright, or you would have realised that the only thing Boris has acheived was to line his own pockets and raise his z-list celebrity profile to y-list.
Name one thing that he has achieved for London...
We're all waiting...
- Dylan, London
Boris has been a resounding success for London so hopefully with his guidance Cameron will spread this sense of achievement to the whole country.
- Kimberley, London
Is this the same Boris Johnson who has a Deputy Mayor being investigated for allegedly swindling his expenses? Also as an MP with a well-paid part time job Boris was also keen on claiming the maximum housing allowance. Is Cameron sure that he wants to use Boris as a model?
- S Jones, Kennington England
and I thought that 'BDS' stood for Bush Derangement Syndrome. You know where the disgruntled lefty sneers at Bush and the US for some perceived gaffe.
I'm sure we'll soon get a superb example of homegrown BDS from Melvyn Windy or Keith Price-Luton but that will be 'Boris Derangement Syndrome'.
He won lads. He's liked by most ...which is more than Ken ever was. And I'd be happy if he was PM..right now!
- Ethan, UK
