If you want an idea of just how strongly the press have rumbled Brown on his Labour investment versus Tory cuts line, read this blog from the Financial Times’ Jim Pickard about PMQs. Here’s an extract:
“Unfortunately it showed the prime minister at his worst.
No one will be fooled by his attempt to create dividing lines where they don’t exist (Andrew Lansley may have slipped up but the Tories subsequently made very clear that the idea of 10 per cent cuts across departments – if the NHS budget is ringfenced – is based on existing Labour figures).
In doing so (accusing Cameron of a ‘dogmatic’ desire to cut investment) he looked simply desperate. As usual, he resorted to reeling off strings of figures, ignoring the fact that Labour’s own spending ‘rises’ in the coming years are nothing of the sort – if you strip out an expected rise in benefit payments and higher debt repayments.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in