Ed
Balls MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to George Osborne’s repeated
refusal to rule out a VAT rise in the next Parliament at the Treasury Select
Committee, said:
“George
Osborne has let the cat out of the bag. He has repeatedly refused to rule out
another VAT rise if the Tories win…
It’s often written that Labour and the Tories are committed to near-identical levels of austerity after the election. The Greens, the SNP and Plaid Cymru all argue that Ed Miliband and Ed Balls have embraced the Osborneite consensus.
The true scale of the gap between Labour and the Tories has been further revealed by the IFS, whose director Paul Johnson said at today’s post-Budget briefing:
“Our latest estimates suggest that Labour would be able to meet its
fiscal targets with no cuts at all after 2015-16”. Balls has pledged to
match the coalition’s spending plans in that financial year (which
starts next month) but will be free to determine his own path after that
point. Among other things, he hopes to increase the growth potential of
the economy through new supply-side measures and greater infrastructure
investment. Today’s IFS assessment suggests that could mean an earlier than expected end to the cuts.
They’re all the same? Labour aren’t an austerity party. There’s too much at stake for you to use your vote to let David Cameron back in through the back door. There are people literally starving because of this government.
Caroline Flint MP, Labour’s Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, commenting on the Which? Annual Energy Satisfaction Survey, said:
“These figures are a damning indictment of the big six energy companies and a broken energy market that is failing to meet the needs of consumers. Under David…
Maria Eagle MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, responding to the publication of the Efra select committee report on food security, said:
“Food policy has been dominated by chaos and incompetence under this Tory-led Government which has presided over the horse meat…
Chris Bryant MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy, reacting to the Government withdrawing its amendments reforming the Electronic Communications Code said:
“This is shocking incompetence from the Tories. Before Christmas Sajid Javid boasted of a great deal with the…
Tristram Hunt MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to the publication of the Public Accounts Committee report on 16-18 year old participation in education and training said:
“By failing to deliver an effective plan for careers advice, David Cameron’s government has badly let down…
