George Bridges

Whose side are they on?

The Conservatives have proved unafraid of making enemies with their cuts. It’s less clear that they know who their friends are

issue 23 October 2010

The Conservatives have proved unafraid of making enemies with their cuts. It’s less clear that they know who their friends are

With all the spending review figures published, one question still hangs in the air: whose side is the coalition on? Families with teenagers? No, they’ll be hit by higher university fees. Families where the single earner brings home more than £45,000? No, they’ll lose child benefit. High earners? There’s the new 50p tax for them. The public sector? With all those job cuts, that’s a sick joke. The armed forces? Unlikely, after the hatchet job on the defence budget. Commuters? No, it’s higher fares for them. If Ed Miliband were looking for an aggrieved section of the electorate to champion, this spending review has left him spoiled for choice.

One can argue that the government can’t afford friends, because we have an Everest-sized deficit.

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