Tory attack on education budget is unnecessary

Published: 26 August, 2010

• I HOPE every parent who voted Tory or Liberal Democrat at the general election in May now realises how stupid they were (Education cuts to leave £167m hole, August 19).

Michael Gove, the Tory Education Secretary, by abandoning Labour’s Building Schools for the Future programme, has not only condemned a generation of our children to sub-standard accommodation, but has also kicked the building industry in the teeth, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.

And don’t forget that building workers pay taxes, so the government will lose more income. How will that help the situation? And it is completely unnecessary.

The budget deficit does not need to be repaid so rapidly.

The simple truth is that the Tories want to make these cuts, it’s in their genes, and the Lib Dems are so deep inside this coalition that it’s dark.

But let’s not forget why this deficit exists.

It is not a result of Labour over-spending, it is the cost we have paid to avert a global financial disaster which could have been worse than the Great Depression, swallowing the whole world as bank after bank collapsed under their collective stupidity.

That we are in any sort of recovery at present is almost entirely because of the firm action taken by governments around the world, largely as a result of Gordon Brown’s encouragement.

The banks caused the problem, not the government.

Of course, this borrowing will have an impact and we will have to get our finances in order, but let us do it in a planned, fair and more measured way.

We only paid off the massive debts from the Second World War a few years ago, don’t forget.

This Tory hysteria is just a smokescreen allowing them to do what comes naturally.

Making sure those less well off than their friends stay that way.

But actions like this threaten to undo all the progress made in the last 50 years.

The Tories may be happy with this, but I think the Lib Dems need to tell us why they are just sitting there accepting this slash and burn approach.

DAVID REED
Eton Avenue, NW3