Fear of spending cuts prompts radical thinking
The Guardian’s front-page lead predicts a “Decade of pain” for public services, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies forecasting 16% cuts across Whitehall. Allegra Stratton analyses cost-cutting options:
There are some potential “quick hits”. The government is being goaded to target unpopular projects such as the £5bn ID cards programme, the £6bn super database, and the £25bn Trident.
And then there are more radical ideas, outside the left’s comfort zone. Guy Lodge of the Institute of Public Policy Research and Julie Mellor of PricewaterhouseCoopers believe the government should raise the retirement age. For each year it is extended it could bring in £5bn.
One former Labour special adviser working on a report to be published the day after a general election is likely to suggest the wide-scale roll out of ”co-payments” – those who can pay more being asked to do so – for services such as road tolls and possibly even GP appointments.
July 25th, 2009 at 21:28
Are these idiots on a different planet to the rest of us?.I thought we paid excise duty on petrol and car tax to cover the cost of roads,and I thought that we paid national insurance to cover the cost of the NHS and doctors.Ifthis government was to to cut the cost of bureaucracy and stop wasting so much taxpayers money on spin-doctors,consultants and unwanted quangoes we would not be in the financial mess that we are now.Nu-Labour has been a total and utter waste of time and money,and after 12 years in power things are not going to get ant any better,the sooner this bunch of lying shysters -thats you Brown and the rest of your right wing control freaks in the Home Office are removed from office the better.Nu- Labour is financially and morally bankrupt!