Lib Dems map out public spending cuts
Vince Cable outlines Liberal Democrat spending cut plans
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By inthenews.co.uk staff.
Vince Cable has outlined Liberal Democrat plans to cut public spending, in what is arguably the most detailed package of suggestions on the topic from any of the main parties.
The Lib Dem Treasury spokesman's blueprint comes after anger over "generalities" from both the government and the opposition.
"We need serious proposals for cutting public spending and tackling the UK's budget deficit," he said in a publication for the Reform thinktank.
The Lib Dems are proposinig zero overall growth in public sector pay, saving £2.4 billion a year, and a 25 per cent reduction in the pay of staff earning over £100,000. Civil servants would also face a salary freeze.
The retirement age would be raised and employee contributions to public sector pensions increased.
The Eurofighter jet upgrade would be scrapped, saving £5 billion. So would Trident - a longtime Lib Dem policy - and the A400M transport plane.
Education quangos, allegedly costing up to £600 million a year, would also face the scrapheap, and strategic health authorities would suffer as well.
"We need to debate when, how and where the cuts will come," Mr Cable said.
"Undoubtedly more are required to meet the exacting fiscal disciplines but asking the British public for their vote at the next election means being upfront from the outset about what government should and should not be spending its money on."
The proposals come after Gordon Brown admitted for the first time that a Labour government would scale back public spending if it won the next general election.
Cuts are at the heart of the political agenda, with Peter Mandelson trying to contrast Labour's reasoned approach with the potential for savage front-line cuts under the Tories.