Gordon Brown has urged the world’s major economies not to take their foot off the spending pedal, saying that “going for growth” could protect vital public services from cuts.

Speaking at an Anglo-French summit in Evian yesterday, the Prime Minister said: “If we can get growth, if we can get unemployment down, if we can keep interest rates and inflation down, then there is scope to do the things we want to do, and that is to get money to the frontline services.”

But Peter Hain, the Welsh Secretary, became the latest member of the Cabinet to raise the prospect of spending cuts after the general election. Although aides insisted he was not contradicting Mr Brown, Mr Hain said: “Once we emerge from recession, it is fair to state that a slower growth of public spending will be the best strategy. The next 10 years cannot be the same as Labour’s past 10 years of record investment in our schools and hospitals spending. We will need patience as well as prudence. It will mean being tough on priorities and going hard for efficiency. But such sensible Labour prudence over the medium term is quite different from Tory slash-and-burn starting now.”

Source/Full Story: The Independent

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