Ed Balls and George Osborne went head-to-head across the despatch box at Treasury Questions for the first time today, reports Shamik Das.
Ed Balls and George Osborne went head-to-head across the despatch box at Treasury Questions for the first time today. The new shadow chancellor quizzed Mr Osborne over the poor growth figures and the government’s lack of a Plan B, with the chancellor hitting back by calling Mr Balls a “deficit denier”.
Mr Balls questioned why the snow was to blame for the poor economic figures, while in the US, which had also been hit by the weather:
“…the pace of US economic growth increased, consumer confidence was high, and unemployment fell to a two-year low. Could the chancellor tell the House, is there something different about snow in Britain, or is there a better explanation as to why the American economy grew and Britain’s economy did not?”
Adding:
“…perhaps the chancellor should have spent less time on the ski slopes of Switzerland and more time in the conference halls of Davos, listening to the American Treasury Secretary. Let me tell you what he said: he said you’ve got to make sure you don’t hurt the recovery, there are some people who like to move very quickly, to do very deep cuts in spending, but that is not the responsible way to do it…
“In June, unemployment was falling, growth was forecast to be 2.3 per cent this year, now unemployment is rising and growth has stalled. Can the chancellor tell the House, with consumer confidence falling, inflation rising, with no bank lending agreement, no plan for jobs, no plan for growth, no plan B…
“Does he really expect us to believe he can meet his forecast for economic growth this year, or will he have to stand here at the Budget in six weeks’ time and downgrade his very first growth forecast?”
Watch it:
Later in the session, shadow Treasury minister David Hanson said the investment of the Labour government had “supported jobs” and that the governent’s growth strategy was “missing”, to which Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander insisted:
“I don’t apologise at all; they maxed out the credit card, we have to pay it off.”
19 Responses to “Balls and Osborne clash in first Commons duel”
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william
Stephen W is absolutely correct.Come 2015, it is implausible to think the electorate will suddenly fall in love with the sidekicks to the man that wrecked the economy.
Debsalini
William, looking at the polls now, it looks like the electorate are already out of love with the architects of their own impending impoverishment, and quite a bit in love with Labour. I guess Osborne (if he makes it to the next GE as chancellor, which I doubt) will have to make big cuts to income tax to achieve an election win.
pat roche
and meanwhile, due to the savage mean and nasty cuts, those who are affected are sinking in the mire created by clegg and cameron et al. If you look at the liberal democrat voice you will see that they never mention this. They are too busy attacking labour. I lived through the times of Thatcher, and these times are far worse, but at least there were not power hungry liberal democrats propping up every cut and endevouring to exceed them. Remember that neither party won. I was in parliament last week and saw Clegg arogantly parading through with his entourage, probably rushing to see ‘call me Dave’. Remember that all political careers end in failure. What will be the wreckage left for the people of this country due to the savage Pickles, who has been let loose to savage the libraries, childrens centres, bus services and education, not to mention older and disabled people. I could weep for the waste.
Anon E Mouse
Balls came across as shrill and incomprehensible. No wonder Ed Miliband didn’t originally put him in this post. Nice try but he makes Osborne look calm and credible.
Liz how do you explain the fact Brown never balanced the budget from 2001 onwards or the structural deficit?
You’re too intelligent to buy into the “It’s all the big bad bankers fault – global crisis nonsense”. Brown said we would lead the G20 out of recession first. Prior to the last election how did he do?
Labour need to start admitting where they went wrong because we know they screwed the economy up. And they know we know and are trying to treat us like fools….