Hague v Harman: Stand-in leaders do battle on spending
- 00:02:28
- ITN
Hague v Harman: Stand-in leaders do battle on spending
The next Government will inherit public finances in an "unbelievable mess", the Tories have warned. During Prime Minister's questions in the House of Commons, Shadow foreign secretary William Hague accused ministers of planning cuts in spending but refusing to admit it. He said these were "Labour cuts, being brought in by a Labour Chancellor, made necessary by the actions of a discredited Labour Government over the last 12 years". Mr Hague added: "Any Government elected at the next election is going to inherit public finances in an unbelievable mess." Commons leader Harriet Harman, standing in for Gordon Brown, said the Government had rebuilt schools and hospitals, and brought forward capital spending to tackle the effects of the recession. The row flared after Mr Hague had asked Ms Harman to "put into plain English, the Prime Minister's assertion last week that total spending will continue to rise and it will be a zero per cent rise in 2013". The leader told him: "All the figures are set out in the Budget book. Our commitment is clear. We are investing now to make sure we help back up the economy, get through this recession and make sure it is shorter and shallower than it would otherwise be. "You want to concentrate on numbers because you want to avoid facing up to the fact that the Tories have got proposals to cut public investment now - just when the economy needs it most. "The shadow chancellor (George Osborne) revealed last week that he spends 40 per cent of his time thinking about economics. "It's amazing he spends 40 per cent of his time thinking about doing absolutely nothing." Mr Hague responded: "Perhaps you could spend 100 per cent of the next minute trying to answer the question you were asked."
ITN | July 8, 2009
