Mission accomplished for Cameron's cost-cutting speech

slothrop

The Lib Dems have already got a proposal of cutting the number of MPs by 150

TrevorsDen

Cutting Trident will not do much - its years away and is spread over many years and will just rob jobs in Scotland anyway.

The cuts that will come are closer to home and will be painfull.

From what has been published its the GTory ideas which seem more sensible because they seem to be talking about how government works and what it does.

Labour seem to be hinting at it as well saying they are going to m,aintain services. Bit so what - cuts are cuts, no matter if you say your cuts are 'good cuts'.

The idea behind cuts is to 'cut' spending and that means jobs - directly or indirectly.
And as the economy recovers we can look forward to rising taxes.

Bruce, UK

It is trifling but, just like 100 SpAds chained together on the ocean floor, it's a good start.

TevorsDen

PS (sorry)

It seems to me the Mails headline paints Cameron as a mad axeman. The text may be different (?) but the headline hardly looks good.

As usual Paxman totally failed to ventilate the issue last night and Fraser did not press the key buttons either.

Seems to be this cuts argument is all far too erudite to benefit Labour. Cuts is cuts, and cuts mean pain. Cold turkey for the electorate whichever way you look at it.

David

"The Lib Dems have already got a proposal of cutting the number of MPs by 150."

I'd bet my house that such a cut would be manipulated to create a 'proper' 3-party Parliament.

Jeremy

'...while the Lib Dems contrasted an "increase in the price of salads" with their policy of not renenwing Trident.'

We need to mainain an independent nuclear deterrent for the same reason that we need to maintain an independent Navy, Air Force and Army - precisely because they are the final guarantors of our independence.

Steve Solley

Did anyone see newsnight last evening?

I thought Liam Byrne was awful, it appeared that even Vince Cable and Philip Hammond were embarrassed for him as he wriggled and squirmed his way out of actually answering any questions.

I hope they continue to wheel him out!

Occasional Ostrich

Bruce, UK
September 9th, 2009 9:35am

Remind me again . . . What's a SpAd?

Bruce, UK

Ostrich 10:51,

A parasite on the body politic.

See also:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5144974/Damian-McBride-smear-emails-put-spotlight-on-special-advisers.html

oldtimer

Occasional Ostrich asks:
"Remind me again . . . What's a SpAd?"

I think it stands for spotty faced adman, or something like that.

Oscar

As ever Dave has the emotional intelligence to understand the importance of getting tough on MPs. He's trying to build a climate of consensus for cuts - and there'll be civil war if everyone has to tighten their belts whilst MPs are raking in expenses and perks. That's what it's about - not the cost of trident compared to a Commons' salad. But typically the supposedly sensitive liberal/left just dont geddit.

Tory Outcast

It's not the actual cuts that matter it is the message it sends. Rings of Thatcher sending back the typewriters and turning out the lights

luke

My prediction?

This is the red meat for the right ahead of cameron giving his most left-wing "I am a progressive" speech ever at the party conference and really challenging some tory shibboleths..

Tim Carpenter (LPUK)

@Tory Outcast: "It's not the actual cuts that matter it is the message it sends"

Er, no, it is BOTH that truly matter, but I suspect Cameron, once the image is projected, will be less eager to follow through.

Verity

The fight of the socialist dwarves ... green liberal David Cameron tries to out-tough socialist Alastair Darling, or someone.

So, bloody what?

Fiddling while Britain burns in the conflagration of nationhood in the foul EU.

I really don't care how Cameron twiddles the knobs. He's one of them.

Oscar

Tim Carpenter: "but I suspect Cameron, once the image is projected, will be less eager to follow through."

And I suspect you misunderestimate the man (as Bushy might have put it.)

Draughtsman

When in government Labour has always ended up bankrupting the nation but Brown has eclipsed all previous achievements and we will be paying the price of his arrogance for years to come.

We all know that massive cuts have will have to occur, but my concern is that instead of falling on the vast shower of clipboard carriers, professional meeting attendees, other gash hands and layabouts who have no intention of working, they will fall on infrastructure projects like railway electrification and the scaling back of Crossrail. At least with infrastructure we have something to show for our taxes when they are complete.

DSR

Verity - did you read Polly Toynbee's article yesterday?

I'm wondering whether you might also be hat-munching in the not too distant future.

I maintain that the election is Labour's to lose - and it would be most foolish of Cameron (or any of his team) to give them any assistance, especially as they're doing such a good job by themselves.

Verity

DSR - No. I didn't. I don't think I've ever read a word she's written. Why would I?

drakes drum

Verity.

Polly Toynbee can be likened to the four winds. She blows in one direction one day, the direct opposite the next and can change direction time and time again.

She has been so wrong so many times I wonder who can read such tripe. But we have identified one, DSR!! poor fellow. He indulges in the politics of fear. Dont let Brown know our policies!!

If they want Cameron to win by just NOT being Brown then that will be something they and the country will regret soon enough.

When you buy an empty carton you cannot expect too much. I prefer to know just what they stand for and just what policies they offer to make this Country great again.

Sadly Cameron wants to wed us to the EU so that is the end of that!

The Germans will control the EU - just look at the blog 'Ironies Too' and you will be the wiser.

None of our politicians have had the wherewithall to propose anything similar for us!

2trueblue

Why should MPS not take a cut? The whole country is going through a recession and we know MPs have been having a ball on our money and are not willing to join the reality the rest of us live in. It is a big step forward if MPS share some of what we are going through, so well done to Cameron to try to rein them in. It is not just the amount that matters, it is the fact that it is a step in the right direction.
We have seen a speaker voted in by Labour who has a very inflated idea that he is the role, he just dosen't get it, and neither do they.
If Cameron can show that he understands the countrys needs and sentiments then I may vote Tory.

R A Lawrence

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ron nowicki

Why do commentators always focus on one aspect of tax-cutting? Trident should be cut (let the Scottish parliament worry about jobs) AS WELL AS
the number of parliamentarians, aid to India (why?). Among taxes to be levied should be a tax of aviation fuel.