Brown accused over 'secret' spending cuts

Wed Sep 16 2009 12:37:08

The Tories are accusing Gordon Brown of keeping plans for huge spending cuts 'secret'.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne claims the Prime Minister is misleading Parliament and the public after obtaining Treasury documents apparently showing that ministers are considering cuts of almost 10 per cent.

He said the Conservatives had been leaked internal papers containing the details.

At his monthly news conference, Conservative leader David Cameron said: "They are not wrong to be planning cuts, but they are wrong to cover up their plans for cuts."

Gordon Brown has consistently portrayed the debate about public spending as Labour investment versus Tory cuts.

But Mr Osborne claimed the Treasury documents, marked "confidential", projected spending cuts in departmental budgets of almost 9.3 per cent in the four years after 2010.

He added that voters would have to decide who they could trust with the "economic mess" at the next election.

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