A future Conservative government would result in ‘chaos’ with all manner of spending cuts, the prime minister claimed this week.
It wasn’t the most sophisticated argument, but at least it took us on from two weeks of turmoil over MPs’ allowances. Daily outpourings of ridiculous expenses claims have paralysed government and forced the larger parties into embarrassing apologies.
The ousting of the Speaker and the cross-party agreement on a range of interim measures can be seen as a turning point. Ministers and civil servants should now be able to concentrate on the day job, while standards watchdog Sir Christopher Kelly searches for a permanent solution.
We can only hope this will be the case, although this story has gained a momentum that will be difficult to quash.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown will be resisting the clamour for an early election. Given the likely results in the local and European elections next month, and the by-election in the Speaker’s seat to come, this is an eminently sensible political strategy.
In fairness to the PM, his ‘chaos’ jibe has some truth to it. As Philip Johnston points out in this week’s cover feature, the Conservatives’ promise of doing ‘more for less’ will not begin to address the terrible state of the public finances.
The books need to be balanced eventually and there will be some difficult and painful decisions to take once the economy begins to recover. Significant reform of public services and real-terms cuts will be inevitable.
But, of course, this would also apply to a re-elected Labour government. Public services face a no-win future whoever succeeds in the general election.
Neither of the main political parties has come clean on this. Labour sticks to unrealistic growth forecasts, while the Tories pretend that efficiency can save the day. No doubt, both parties are fearful of the electorate’s reaction, and perhaps with good reason.
However, the truth will out – as the expenses furore clearly shows – and an honest assessment of the public finances has to happen some time soon.
