Politics

9 May 2009

Fraser Nelson reviews the week in politics

But to cut defence spending, while Britain is making no progress in Afghanistan and has handed over to the Americans in Basra, would be a grave concession for a Conservative government to make. It would, in effect, mark Britain’s retreat as a top-tier global military power. Mr Fox has been listing procurement projects that can be cancelled at relatively little cost. But to cut more deeply would confirm to an already anxious Pentagon that the Brits are no longer prepared to finance a war-fighting, as opposed to peacekeeping, military.

Just five months ago, Mr Cameron was speaking about ‘sharing the proceeds of growth’. Five weeks ago, he still spoke about ‘growth in public spending’. Each new phrase he coins seems to be overtaken by events, as the outlook blackens. He is now reconciled to the fact that there will be no such growth — not after the crippling cost of unemployment and debt interest is taken into account. These are indeed Labour’s cuts, the consequence of the failures of Mr Brown’s fiscal policy. It is understandable that the Tories resent that they will be left wielding the hatchet.

But there is a strong moral case to be made for cuts, in that government profligacy makes us all poorer, and that we are knowingly saddling our children with billions upon billions of debt. These are arguments Mr Cameron should be making now. If he comes across in years to come as a squeamish cutter, rather than a man of principle, then he risks provoking the unions, who will wonder if he will buckle under pressure — as Macmillan and Heath did before him. Mr Cameron has been dealt a hideous hand by the government. But he may as well play it with conviction.