Midlands MP's Radically Opposed On Spending Review

Peter Soulsby MP

 By Ben Aulakh

Two MP’s from the Midlands have given starkly different views on the possible impact of today’s Comprehensive Spending Review.

Peter Soulsby, Labour MP for Leicester South has said that he “fears devastating cuts in front line services, by a government intent on using the excuse of the deficit to change the nature of our society.”

However John Hemming, Liberal Democrat MP for Yardley in Birmingham has said that he feels that spending reductions now will ensure that “cuts will be minimised over the long term by avoiding a debt crisis.”

The Coalition government has already announced that a total of £83 billion will be taken from spending over the next four years.

The Ministry of Defence will see its budget reduced by 8 per cent; Education and Welfare could also see their budget’s reduced by around 10 to 20 per cent.

John Hemming MP

A photograph taken of Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander has also shown that around 490, 000 public sector jobs could be set top go by 2015.

Mr Soulsby has also expressed his concern of the impact these job losses could have on the police force, “Undoubtedly police spending will be hit throughout the country.

“This is bound to have a serious impact on crime and antisocial behaviour; the government is taking a very serious gamble as I’m sure vital services are at risk.”

However Mr Hemming’s response to any possible job losses is, “If cuts are not made now then more cuts will have to be made in the long term.”

When asked about whom he felt any reductions in expenditure would hit in his constituency the hardest, Mr Hemming said, “The burden will mainly fall upon the wealthier and that is fair.”

Mr Soulsby added, “What we need is a programme of deficit reduction that is measured and genuinely sets out to protect front-line jobs and services.”


Photographs from Wikipedia