Clegg calls for "savage" budget cuts
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg vows "savage" spending cuts
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Nick Clegg has stepped up a drawing of battle-lines ahead of the Liberal Democrat conference by claiming that Labour's time "is up". |  |
Saturday, 19, Sep 2009 01:20
By inthenews.co.uk staff.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has vowed to make "savage" spending cuts in order to balance the books of the government.
Arriving in Bournemouth today ahead of his party's conference, Mr Clegg told the Guardian newspaper that he would support "bold" moves with the budget in order to aid an economic recovery.
"In some cases we will be quite bold, or even savage, on current spending, precisely to be able to retain spending where you need it in areas where the economy is weak in infrastructure," he said.
However, the Lib Dem leader refused to depart completely from leftist policies of tax and spend.
"One of the things you should not cut when the economy is fragile is building houses, railways, and new energy networks," he added.
When he addresses the conference in his keynote speech next week, Mr Clegg is expected to position his party as the only realistic alternative to a Conservative government at the next election.
And a spokesman for the Lib Dems claims the Tories "try to talk tough on spending cuts, but in reality they haven't a clue".
"With over £50 billion of uncosted spending commitments, they are not fit for government," the spokesman, Lord Oakeshott, added.