Mandelson criticises Labour ....so much for loyalty!!!

By Rowena Mason, Political
Correspondent

3:05PM GMT 22 Mar 2013

105 Comments




The former adviser to Tony Blair and key architect of New Labour criticised
his own party for living "in the past" and "tiring" the public with its constant
complaints about spending cuts.


Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor, often criticises the Chancellor for trying
to cut Britain's deficit too far and fast. It has become a key political refrain
of Labour ministers challenging the Government's efforts to cut costs.



However, Lord Mandelson told business leaders: “The whole argument about
whether we’re cutting too far and too fast, it’s in the past. It is rather
predictable party political stuff from over the despatch box, and it is a bit
tiring to the public."


He said the Labour Party needs to come up with ideas about redeveloping the
economy rather than "fight about the past and fight about what’s too far and
what’s far enough".


Lord Mandelson also ridiculed his former boss Gordon Brown for claiming to
have abolised boom and bust before the financial crisis.



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“I can't quite remember which member of the government it was who claimed to
have abolished boom and bust. Well, we abolished boom," he joked.

His comments come as Ed Miliband, the Labour Party leader, prepares to make a
major speech on the economy on Saturday.

A Labour spokesman said the party believes the Government is cutting too far
and too fast, which is harming growth.

Charlie Elphicke, a Tory MP, said it was telling that Lord Mandelson thinks
his party is living in "the past".

“Labour have opposed every single saving this Government is making to deal
with the deficit, and are simply offering more of the same spending, borrowing
and debt that got us into this mess in the first place," he said.