Reality check for Gordon from Hilary Benn
A cabinet minister has hinted there may have to be cuts in public spending after the next general election. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC the government faced "real choices" ahead and "when times are tough you need to tighten your belt". Mr Benn said his own Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has had to prioritise spending. The disclosure comes with Labour and the Conservatives immersed in a dispute over spending plans. Mr Benn told BBC Radio 4's Any Questions ministers would face some tough decisions. He said: "If I look at my department's budget, it is going to go down a bit and therefore we will have to prioritise." His comments come with Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisting the next general election will be fought on a platform of "Labour investment versus Tory cuts". snip http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8122050.stm
A cabinet minister has hinted there may have to be cuts in public spending after the next general election. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC the government faced "real choices" ahead and "when times are tough you need to tighten your belt". Mr Benn said his own Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has had to prioritise spending. The disclosure comes with Labour and the Conservatives immersed in a dispute over spending plans. Mr Benn told BBC Radio 4's Any Questions ministers would face some tough decisions. He said: "If I look at my department's budget, it is going to go down a bit and therefore we will have to prioritise." His comments come with Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisting the next general election will be fought on a platform of "Labour investment versus Tory cuts". snip http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8122050.stm