George Osborne Warns Of 'Year Of Hard Truths' In 2014, With Further Austerity To Pay For Tax Cuts

George Osborne Warns Of 'Year Of Hard Truths' In 2014, With Further Austerity To Pay For Tax Cuts
The Huffington Post UK/PA | Posted: 06/01/2014 07:23 GMT | Updated: 06/01/2014 11:42 GMT

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/01/06/osborne-economy-2014_n_4547148.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk-ws-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D234541

George Osborne will paint 2014 as "the year of hard truths" as he warns voters that only further austerity measures can pay for tax cuts and better job prospects.

In a speech setting out his priorities for the year, the Chancellor will warn that despite a much-improved economic outlook than a year ago, there was "still a long way to go".

But Labour wanted to take Britain back to "borrowing and spending and living beyond our means - and let the next generation pay the bill", he will suggest.

Prime Minister David Cameron kicked off an economic offensive yesterday by committing to sustained rises in the state pension until 2020 and stating his desire to offer more tax cuts.

He insisted easing the burden on lower earners was his priority but faced Labour claims of planning a new "tax cut for millionaires" after failing to rule out cutting the 45p top rate of income tax.

Osborne will caution voters that tax cuts could only be afforded if further significant reductions were made in the public spending the revenues paid for.

"As a result of the painful cuts we've made, the deficit is down by a third and we're borrowing nearly £3,000 less for every one of you and for every family in the country," he will say.

"That's the good news. The bad news is: there's still a long way to go.

"We're borrowing around £100 billion a year - and paying half that money a year in interest just to service our debts. We've got to make more cuts."

He will say in his speech in Birmingham today: "That's why 2014 is the year of hard truths. The year when Britain faces a choice.

"Do we say: 'the worst is over; back we go to our bad habits of borrowing and spending and living beyond our means - and let the next generation pay the bill'.

"Or do we say to ourselves: 'yes, because of our plan, things are getting better. But there is still a long way to go and there are big, underlying problems we have to fix in our economy'."

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie said: "George Osborne should admit his policies have failed and led to a cost-of-living crisis.

"While millions of ordinary working people are worse off under the Tories, he and David Cameron are paving the way for yet another top rate tax cut for millionaires.

"The reason more spending cuts are needed after 2015 is because his failure on growth and living standards since 2010 has led to his failure to balance the books.

"What we need is Labour's plan to earn our way to higher living standards for all, tackle the cost-of-living crisis and get the deficit down in a fairer way."

What we really need is a House of Commons full of MPs who will put the needs of the people of this country first.

malena stool wrote:What we really need is a House of Commons full of MPs who will put the needs of the people of this country first.

I doubt that will ever happen malena.   I think some MPs go into politics for genuine reasons but once they see how easy it is to make themselves rich greed takes over and all they care about is lining their own pockets.  As long as they can keep their big houses and pay all their bills that's all they are interested in.  Once out of politics they take off to their houses abroad on the vast sums of money they have made.

I think my retirement age will be about 105 !

Lioned wrote:I think my retirement age will be about 105 !

Hi Lioned....
When you are driving to work on your second hand mobility scooter, well wrapped up in an old Army blanket against the biting cold, with a flask of tepid cocoa and two rounds of Pork dripping and pepper, be thankful that because of your extended work schedule you have ensured your local MP and his banker boy friends can retire to a sun denched beach, drink Pina Colada and partake of egg and cress butties.....

 
 

mara thon wrote:

malena stool wrote:What we really need is a House of Commons full of MPs who will put the needs of the people of this country first.

I doubt that will ever happen malena.   I think some MPs go into politics for genuine reasons but once they see how easy it is to make themselves rich greed takes over and all they care about is lining their own pockets.  As long as they can keep their big houses and pay all their bills that's all they are interested in.  Once out of politics they take off to their houses abroad on the vast sums of money they have made.

I'm sure you are right, mara... It's just a shame that they can't aspire to the same ethics and morals that they expect we plebs to abide by...