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Deficit £185bn not £90bn committee of MPs warn
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by Kate McCann
December 12, 2013, 1:43am
THE PUBLIC Accounts Committee has warned that government deficit figures may be misleading, after the whole government accounts report put the deficit at £185bn, not £90bn.

The accounts, released today, examine all the assets and liabilities in the public sector between 2011 and 2012 and raise questions about the way figures are calculated. Chair of the committee Margaret Hodge MP welcomed the report, but admitted there was frustration about the credibility of some elements of the accounting. She said it is "hard to understand why the government debt and deficit highlighted in the whole government accounts differ from those reported in the ONS's national accounts. According to the former document, compiled on the basis of well-understood accounting standards, the UK's in-year deficit for 2011-12 was £185bn. The national accounts used by the chancellor put the figure at £90bn," she added.

Hodge also warned that the introduction of a new concept of direct expenditure, which excludes interest payments on the national debt from the final figures, makes it hard to track changes over time. She added that assets like Network Rail and taxpayer owned banks should be included in the accounts where they are currently excluded "in defiance of normal accounting rules."

The report reveals that the government wrote off £13.2bn over the period due to fraud, error, negligence claims and debt management. In addition it estimates that the annual tax gap has risen to £35bn. Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury said: "Taxpayers will be appalled by how much money is being lost by this government each year," adding that David Cameron and George Osborne need to get a grip. "We are committed to clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion, and fraud, error and debt in the benefits system," the Treasury said.

Yesterday the Prime Minister admitted that maternity and paternity pay would be included in the government's welfare cap, while Labour confirmed it will include the state pension. Both benefits could be reduced as a result. In addition, Labour suffered defeat in the House of Commons during votes on the government's banking reform bill.

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Big Society? Yeah, right!

'Big society' proposals outlined

David Cameron and Nick Clegg have given details of how the Conservatives' flagship idea of a "big society" will shape the coalition's policies.

The prime minister and his Lib Dem deputy said people should have more say over planning decisions and voluntary groups be able to run public services.

Mr Cameron said the state was "often too inhuman and clumsy" to tackle the country's social problems.

Labour have warned that the idea could result in "do-it-yourself" services.

'Big idea'

During the election Mr Cameron described the "big society" - based around encouraging greater personal and family responsibility and community activism - as the "only big idea" on offer.

Policies put forward by the Conservatives included a National Citizenship Service for 16-year olds, giving people the right to veto council tax rises and for new providers to be able to set up so-called "free schools" in the state sector.

The "big society" was not mentioned in the two parties' initial coalition agreement, which focused largely on measures to tackle the deficit crisis and reform the political system.

" We know that the best ideas come from the ground up, not the top down " 
Prime Minister David Cameron

But at a meeting with representatives of voluntary and charitable organisations in Downing Street, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg fleshed out their ideas for putting "people power at the heart of government".

These include giving communities power to stop post office or pub closures, training community organisers, encouraging volunteering, creating a Big Society Bank to fund social enterprises, giving people greater access to government data and reviewing of local government finance.

Mr Cameron said the government was committed to giving people more control over their lives.

"We know instinctively that the state is often too inhuman, monolithic and clumsy to tackle our deepest social problems," he said.

"We know that the best ideas come from the ground up, not the top down."

Mr Clegg said building a fairer Britain required "radical change" and "bringing down vested interests".

'On the cheap'

But Labour's Chris Bryant, a former minister, said: "This is drivel... I think this is an attempt to get government on the cheap."

Although broadly in agreement that there should be more alternatives to state providers in many areas, there are several sticking points between the coalition partners.

On schools, both parties agree new providers should be able to enter the state school system in response to parental demand but they differ on who these schools should be accountable to.

The Conservatives want new schools to be answerable directly to ministers whereas the Liberal Democrats want local authorities to retain control over the schools in their area.

On local government finance, the Liberal Democrats proposed piloting a local income tax while the Conservatives suggested freezing council tax in partnership with councils. The parties have agreed to a review on how to proceed.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8688860.stm

Published: 2010/05/18 13:37:19 GMT

© BBC MMX

Con-Dem Agreements

Agreements between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party was reached May 11, 2010.

This document sets out agreements reached between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats on a range of issues. These are the issues that needed to be resolved between us in order for us to work together as a strong and stable government. It will be followed in due course by a final Coalition Agreement, covering the full range of policy and including foreign, defence and domestic policy issues not covered in this document. 

DEFICIT REDUCTION

The parties agree that deficit reduction and continuing to ensure economic recovery is the most urgent issue facing Britain. We have therefore agreed that there will need to be:

• a significantly accelerated reduction in the structural deficit over the course of a Parliament, with the main burden of deficit reduction borne by reduced spending rather than increased taxes;
  
  
• arrangements that will protect those on low incomes from the effect of public sector pay constraint and other spending constraints; and
  
  
• protection of jobs by stopping Labour's proposed jobs tax.

The parties agree that a plan for deficit reduction should be set out in an emergency budget within 50 days of the signing of any agreement; the parties note that the credibility of a plan on deficit reduction depends on its long-term deliverability, not just the depth of immediate cuts. New forecasts of growth and borrowing should be made by an independent Office for Budget Responsibility for this emergency budget.

The parties agree that modest cuts of £6 billion to non-front line services can be made within the financial year 2010-11, subject to advice from the Treasury and the Bank of England on their feasibility and advisability. Some proportion of these savings can be used to support jobs, for example through the cancelling of some backdated demands for business rates. Other policies upon which we are agreed will further support job creation and green investment, such as work programmes for the unemployed and a green deal for energy efficiency investment.

The parties agree that reductions can be made to the Child Trust Fund and tax credits for higher earners.

SPENDING REVIEW - NHS, SCHOOLS and A FAIRER SOCIETY

The parties agree that a full Spending Review should be held, reporting this Autumn, following a fully consultative process involving all tiers of government and the private sector. 

The parties agree that funding for the NHS should increase in real terms in each year of the Parliament, while recognising the impact this decision would have on other departments. The target of spending 0.7% of GNI on overseas aid will also remain in place.

We will fund a significant premium for disadvantaged pupils from outside the schools budget by reductions in spending elsewhere.

The parties commit to holding a full Strategic Security and Defence Review alongside the Spending Review with strong involvement of the Treasury.

The Government will be committed to the maintenance of Britain's nuclear deterrent, and have agreed that the renewal of Trident should be scrutinised to ensure value for money. Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for alternatives.  We will immediately play a strong role in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, and press for continued progress on multilateral disarmament.

The parties commit to establishing an independent commission to review the long term affordability of public sector pensions, while protecting accrued rights.

We will restore the earnings link for the basic state pension from April 2011 with a "triple guarantee" that pensions are raised by the higher of earnings, prices or 2.5%, as proposed by the Liberal Democrats. 

TAX MEASURES

The parties agree that the personal allowance for income tax should be increased in order to help lower and middle income earners. We agree to announce in the first Budget a substantial increase in the personal allowance from April 2011, with the benefits focused on those with lower and middle incomes. This will be funded with the money that would have been used to pay for the increase in Employee National Insurance thresholds proposed by the Conservatives, as well as revenues from increases in Capital Gains Tax rates for non-business assets as described below. The increase in Employer National Insurance thresholds proposed by the Conservatives will go ahead in order to stop Labour's jobs tax. We also agree to a longer term policy objective of further increasing the personal allowance to £10,000, making further real terms steps each year towards this objective.

We agree that this should take priority over other tax cuts, including cuts to Inheritance Tax. We also agree that provision will be made for Liberal Democrat MPs to abstain on budget resolutions to introduce transferable tax allowances for married couples without prejudice to this coalition agreement.

The parties agree that a switch should be made to a per-plane, rather than per-passenger duty; a proportion of any increased revenues over time will be used to help fund increases in the personal allowance.

We further agree to seek a detailed agreement on taxing non-business capital gains at rates similar or close to those applied to income, with generous exemptions for entrepreneurial business activities. 

The parties agree that tackling tax avoidance is essential for the new government, and that all efforts will be made to do so, including detailed development of Liberal Democrat proposals.

BANKING REFORM

The parties agree that reform to the banking system is essential to avoid a repeat of Labour's financial crisis, to promote a competitive economy, to sustain the recovery and to protect and sustain jobs.

We agree that a banking levy will be introduced. We will seek a detailed agreement on implementation. 

We agree to bring forward detailed proposals for robust action to tackle unacceptable bonuses in the financial services sector; in developing these proposals, we will ensure they are effective in reducing risk.

We agree to bring forward detailed proposals to foster diversity, promote mutuals and create a more competitive banking industry.

We agree that ensuring the flow of credit to viable SMEs is essential for supporting growth and should be a core priority for a new government, and we will work together to develop effective proposals to do so. This will include consideration of both a major loan guarantee scheme and the use of net lending targets for the nationalised banks. 

The parties wish to reduce systemic risk in the banking system and will establish an independent commission to investigate the complex issue of separating retail and investment banking in a sustainable way; while recognising that this would take time to get right, the commission will be given an initial time frame of one year to report.

The parties agree that the regulatory system needs reform to avoid a repeat of Labour's financial crisis. We agree to bring forward proposals to give the Bank of England control of macro-prudential regulation and oversight of micro-prudential regulation.

The parties also agree to rule out joining the European Single Currency during the duration of this agreement.

IMMIGRATION

We have agreed that there should be an annual limit on the number of non-EU economic migrants admitted into the UK to live and work. We will consider jointly the mechanism for implementing the limit. We will end the detention of children for immigration purposes.

POLITICAL REFORM

The parties agree to the establishment of five year fixed-term parliaments. A Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government will put a binding motion before the House of Commons in the first days following this agreement stating that the next general election will be held on the first Thursday of May 2015. Following this motion, legislation will be brought forward to make provision for fixed term parliaments of five years.  This legislation will also provide for dissolution if 55% or more of the House votes in favour.

The parties will bring forward a Referendum Bill on electoral reform, which includes provision for the introduction of the Alternative Vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constituencies. Both parties will whip their Parliamentary Parties in both Houses to support a simple majority referendum on the Alternative Vote, without prejudice to the positions parties will take during such a referendum. 
The parties will bring forward early legislation to introduce a power of recall, allowing voters to force a by-election where an MP was found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and having had a petition calling for a by-election signed by 10% of his or her constituents.

We agree to establish a committee to bring forward proposals for a wholly or mainly elected upper chamber on the basis of proportional representation.  The committee will come forward with a draft motions by December 2010. It is likely that this bill will advocate single long terms of office. It is also likely there will be a grandfathering system for current Peers. In the interim, Lords appointments will be made with the objective of creating a second chamber reflective of the share of the vote secured by the political parties in the last general election.

The parties will bring forward the proposals of the Wright Committee for reform to the House of Commons in full – starting with the proposed committee for management of programmed business and including government business within its scope by the third year of the Parliament.

The parties agree to reduce electoral fraud by speeding up the implementation of individual voter registration.
We have agreed to establish a commission to consider the 'West Lothian question'. 

The parties agree to the implementation of the Calman Commission proposals and the offer of a referendum on further Welsh devolution. 

The parties will tackle lobbying through introducing a statutory register of lobbyists. We also agree to pursue a detailed agreement on limiting donations and reforming party funding in order to remove big money from politics.

The parties will promote the radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government and community groups. This will include a full review of local government finance.

PENSIONS AND WELFARE

The parties agree to phase out the default retirement age and hold a review to set the date at which the state pension age starts to rise to 66, although it will not be sooner than 2016 for men and 2020 for women. We agree to end the rules requiring compulsory annuitisation at 75.

We agree to implement the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman's recommendation to make fair and transparent payments to Equitable Life policy holders, through an independent payment scheme, for their relative loss as a consequence of regulatory failure.

The parties agree to end all existing welfare to work programmes and to create a single welfare to work programme to help all unemployed people get back into work.

We agree that Jobseeker's Allowance claimants facing the most significant barriers to work should be referred to the aforementioned newly created welfare to work programme immediately, not after 12 months as is currently the case. We agree that Jobseeker's Allowance claimants aged under 25 should be referred to the programme after a maximum of six months.

The parties agree to realign contracts with welfare to work service providers to reflect more closely the results they achieve in getting people back into work.

We agree that the funding mechanism used by government to finance welfare to work programmes should be reformed to reflect the fact that initial investment delivers later savings in lower benefit expenditure.

We agree that receipt of benefits for those able to work should be conditional on the willingness to work.

EDUCATION

Schools 

We agree to promote the reform of schools in order to ensure:

• that new providers can enter the state school system in response to parental demand;
  
  
• that all schools have greater freedom over curriculum; and,
  
  
• that all schools are held properly accountable.

Higher education 

We await Lord Browne's final report into higher education funding, and will judge its proposals against the need to:

• increase social mobility;
  
  
• take into account the impact on student debt;
  
  
• ensure a properly funded university sector;
  
  
• improve the quality of teaching;
  
  
• advance scholarship; and,
  
  
• attract a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If the response of the Government to Lord Browne's report is one that Liberal Democrats cannot accept, then arrangements will be made to enable Liberal Democrat MPs to abstain in any vote.

RELATIONS WITH THE EU

We agree that the British Government will be a positive participant in the European Union, playing a strong and positive role with our partners, with the goal of ensuring that all the nations of Europe are equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century: global competitiveness, global warming and global poverty.

We agree that there should be no further transfer of sovereignty or powers over the course of the next Parliament. We will examine the balance of the EU's existing competences and will, in particular, work to limit the application of the Working Time Directive in the United Kingdom.

We agree that we will amend the 1972 European Communities Act so that any proposed future Treaty that transferred areas of power, or competences, would be subject to a referendum on that Treaty – a 'referendum lock'. We will amend the 1972 European Communities Act so that the use of any passerelle would require primary legislation.

We will examine the case for a United Kingdom Sovereignty Bill to make it clear that ultimate authority remains with Parliament.

We agree that Britain will not join or prepare to join the Euro in this Parliament.

We agree that we will strongly defend the UK's national interests in the forthcoming EU budget negotiations and that the EU budget should only focus on those areas where the EU can add value.

We agree that we will press for the European Parliament only to have one seat, in Brussels.

We agree that we will approach forthcoming legislation in the area of criminal justice on a case by case basis, with a view to maximising our country's security, protecting Britain's civil liberties and preserving the integrity of our criminal justice system. Britain will not participate in the establishment of any European Public Prosecutor.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

The parties agree to implement a full programme of measures to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties under the Labour Government and roll back state intrusion. 

This will include:

• A Freedom or Great Repeal Bill.
  
  
• The scrapping of ID card scheme, the National Identity register, the next generation of biometric passports and the Contact Point Database.
  
  
• Outlawing the finger-printing of children at school without parental permission.
  
  
• The extension of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency.
  
  
• Adopting the protections of the Scottish model for the DNA database.
  
  
• The protection of historic freedoms through the defence of trial by jury.
  
  
• The restoration of rights to non-violent protest.
  
  
• The review of libel laws to protect freedom of speech.
  
  
• Safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation.
  
  
• Further regulation of CCTV.
  
  
• Ending of storage of internet and email records without good reason.
  
  
• A new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new criminal offences.

ENVIRONMENT

The parties agree to implement a full programme of measures to fulfil our joint ambitions for a low carbon and eco-friendly economy, including:

• The establishment of a smart grid and the roll-out of smart meters.
  
  
• The full establishment of feed-in tariff systems in electricity – as well as the maintenance of banded ROCs.
  
  
• Measures to promote a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion.
  
  
• The creation of a green investment bank.
  
  
• The provision of home energy improvement paid for by the savings from lower energy bills.
  
  
• Retention of energy performance certificates while scrapping HIPs.
  
  
• Measures to encourage marine energy.
  
  
• The establishment of an emissions performance standard that will prevent coal-fired power stations being built unless they are equipped with sufficient CCS to meet the emissions performance standard.
  
  
• The establishment of a high-speed rail network.
  
  
• The cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow.
  
  
• The refusal of additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted.
  
  
• The replacement of the Air Passenger Duty with a per flight duty.
  
  
• The provision of a floor price for carbon, as well as efforts to persuade the EU to move towards full auctioning of ETS permits.
  
  
• Measures to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence.
  
  
• Measures to promote green spaces and wildlife corridors in order to halt the loss of habitats and restore biodiversity.
  
  
• Mandating a national recharging network for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
  
  
• Continuation of the present Government's proposals for public sector investment in CCS technology for four coal-fired power stations; and a specific commitment to reduce central government carbon emissions by 10 per cent within 12 months.
  
  
• We are agreed that we would seek to increase the target for energy from renewable sources, subject to the advice of the Climate Change Committee.

Liberal Democrats have long opposed any new nuclear construction. Conservatives, by contrast, are committed to allowing the replacement of existing nuclear power stations provided they are subject to the normal planning process for major projects (under a new national planning statement) and provided also that they receive no public subsidy.
We have agreed a process that will allow Liberal Democrats to maintain their opposition to nuclear power while permitting the government to bring forward the national planning statement for ratification by Parliament so that new nuclear construction becomes possible. 

This process will involve:

• the government completing the drafting of a national planning statement and putting it before Parliament;
  
  
• pecific agreement that a Liberal Democrat spokesman will speak against the planning statement, but that Liberal Democrat MPs will abstain; and
  
  
• clarity that this will not be regarded as an issue of confidence.

Some decisions? Policies?

New Prime Minister David Cameron has said his "historic" Conservative-led coalition government will be united and provide "strong and stable" leadership.

In a good-humoured press conference with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who is now deputy PM, he said they would "take Britain in a historic new direction".

Their agenda was to cut the deficit, support troops, clean up politics and build a "stronger society".

Mr Clegg acknowledged "big risks" but pledged a "bold, reforming government".

He is among five Liberal Democrats appointed to Cabinet posts, something Mr Cameron said showed "the strength and depth of the coalition and our sincere determination to work together constructively".

The coalition is the first time the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have had a power-sharing deal at Westminster and the first coalition in the UK since the Second World War.

Youngest PM

Mr Cameron's arrival in Downing Street marks the end of 13 years of Labour rule. The Conservative leader, who is six months younger than Tony Blair was when he won power in 1997, is the youngest prime minister since 1812 and the first Old Etonian to hold the office since the early 1960s.

The Conservatives won the most seats in last week's general election, but not enough to secure an overall Commons majority, resulting in a hung Parliament.

WHO'S WHO: KEY CABINET POSTS 

PM: David Cameron

Deputy PM: Nick Clegg

Foreign Sec: William Hague

Chancellor: George Osborne

Business/banking: Vince Cable

Defence: Liam Fox

Health: Andrew Lansley

Energy/Climate: Chris Huhne

Justice Sec: Ken Clarke

Chief Sec to Treasury: David Laws

Scottish Sec: Danny Alexander

Communities Sec: Eric Pickles

Culture/Olympics: Jeremy Hunt

Work and Pensions: Iain Duncan Smith

After days of talks with the Lib Dems - the UK's third biggest party - a deal was reached on Tuesday that resulted in Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown resigning.

In a joint press conference in the Downing Street garden, Mr Cameron said the coalition government could mark a "historic and seismic shift" in British politics.

He said they had discussed having a minority Conservative government, supported by the Lib Dems on key votes but had concluded that was "uninspiring".

Instead the two parties had decided to go for a full coalition to be "an administration united behind three key principles - freedom, fairness and responsibility.

"And it will be an administration united behind one key purpose and that is to give our country the strong and stable and determined leadership that we need for the long-term."

He said the government would "take Britain in a historic new direction, a direction of hope and unity, conviction and common purpose".

'Great uncertainty'

Rising unemployment figures were another sign "of the economic mistakes of the past decade" and said no government in modern times had been left with "such a terrible economic inheritance".

Mr Clegg admitted both party leaders were taking "big risks" but said it would be a "new politics": "It's a new kind of government, a radical, reforming government where it needs to be and a source of reassurance and stability at a time of great uncertainty in our country too."

Both laughed off differences between the parties and animosity in the past - Mr Cameron apologising after a past description of Mr Clegg as a joke was brought up by a reporter.

He said they wanted to make it work adding: "If it means swallowing some humble pie, and it means eating some of your words, I can't think of a more excellent diet."

Mr Cameron has now completed appointing his first cabinet, with Lib Dem Vince Cable becoming Business Secretary, George Osborne Chancellor, William Hague Foreign Secretary and Theresa May Home Secretary.

Other appointments include Ken Clarke as Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Liam Fox as Defence Secretary and Andrew Lansley as Health Secretary.

Mr Clegg's chief of staff, Danny Alexander, who was part of the party's negotiating team, is to be Scottish Secretary. Lib Dem David Laws will be Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

There are expected to be about 20 Lib Dems - more than a third of their MPs - in government jobs in total.

Meanwhile, details of the policy agreement between the parties have been published, including:

• Trident: Lib Dems will drop opposition to replacing nuclear missile system but will be able to "make the case for alternatives" and funding will be scrutinised
• Heathrow: Plans for third runway, opposed by both parties,

Nuclear: Lib Dem spokesman will be able to speak in opposition to new power stations - and Lib Dem MPs will abstain from vote

Higher education funding: Lib Dems allowed to abstain on votes - reflecting party's promise to abolish tuition fees in the long term

Spending cuts: Tory

will go ahead

Tax: Tories sign up to Lib Dem plan to

.

There will also be a "substantial increase" in personal tax allowances for lower and middle-income people from April 2011 - rather than the Conservative plan to raise employees' NI thresholds

But a plan to raise NI thresholds for employers will go ahead

Voting system: Bill will be brought forward for referendum on changing to AV but parties will be able to campaign on opposite sides of argument

Marriage/civil partnership tax breaks: Lib Dems will be allowed to abstain from votes

Europe: Both sides agreed there would be

over the course of the Parliament and Britain would not join the Euro during that period

Immigration cap: Lib Dems accept Tory plan for limit on non-EU economic migrants

House of Lords: Both parties to back plans for wholly/mainly elected chamber elected by proportional representation.

- a higher threshold than currently

'Pupil premium': More funding for poorer children from outside schools budget, as demanded by Lib Dems

The Lib Dem parliamentary party and its federal executive endorsed the coalition agreement by the required three-quarters majority shortly after midnight.

Mr Clegg acknowledged some Lib Dem voters would have doubts but told them: "I wouldn't have entered into this agreement unless I was genuinely convinced that it offers a unique opportunity to deliver the kind of changes you and I believe in."

Mr Hague told BBC Radio 4's Today programme a five-year fixed-term parliament had been introduced to help guarantee stability.

The only way to remove a government before the five years was up would be in a vote of confidence backed by 55% of MPs. Current rules are that the votes of 50% of MPs, plus one, can remove a government. The Conservatives currently have 47% of MPs.

US President Barack Obama was the first foreign leader to congratulate Mr Cameron in a brief telephone call. Others include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Indian PM Manmohan Singh, Australian PM Kevin Rudd, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

After it became clear Labour could not reach an agreement with the Lib Dems that would have allowed them to remain in power, Mr Brown tendered his resignation, saying it had been a privilege to serve "this country I love".

He stepped down as Labour leader with immediate effect - deputy leader Harriet Harman will take over until a leadership contest is held.

Former home secretary Alan Johnson has already ruled himself out in favour of former foreign secretary David Miliband, who has announced he will be a leadership candidate.

Are you a Lib Dem or Tory supporter and how do you feel about the deal?

In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8676607.stm

Published: 2010/05/12 18:18:52 GMT

© BBC MMX

Cameron's first day....

From bbc.co.uk

Mr Cameron has begun the work of appointing his first cabinet - with George Osborne confirmed as chancellor and William Hague as foreign secretary.

There are expected to be as many as six seats around the cabinet table for Lib Dems in the new coalition, with speculation that their party leader, Nick Clegg, will be the deputy prime minister.

In his speech on the steps of Downing Street, Mr Cameron eschewed the high flown rhetoric or even poetry favoured by some of his predecessors.

Instead he stressed there would be "difficult decisions" but said he wanted to take people through them to reach "better times ahead".

He said he aimed to "help build a more responsible society here in Britain... Those who can should and those who can't, we will always help. I want to make sure that my government always looks after the elderly, the frail, the poorest in our country.

"We must take everyone through with us on some of the difficult decisions we have ahead.

"I came into politics because I love this country, I think it's best days still lie ahead and I believe deeply in public service.

"I think the service our country needs right now is to face up to our big challenges, to confront our problems, take difficult decisions, lead people through those decisions, so that together we can reach better times ahead."

BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Election 2005 | Howard outlines Tory action plan

BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Election 2005 | Howard outlines Tory action plan

BBC NEWS
Howard outlines Tory action plan
Conservative leader Michael Howard has said he will act to get things done as prime minister - and not rely on "airy-fairy talk" or charisma.

Mr Howard used a highly personal speech in Kent to start the final stage of Tory campaigning, which will include a new "timetable for action".

He said that at 63 he could have retired but wanted to make Britain wanted to improve the country he loved.

Labour focused on health on Saturday. Charles Kennedy campaigned in Scotland.

'No airy-fairy talk'

Speaking in Ashford, Mr Howard said he would set out on Monday when a Tory government would act on eight key areas.

They would include crime, immigration, cleaner hospitals, tax cuts and school discipline.

This country, this place called Britain, these islands of beauty and wit, common sense and splendour, quirky individualism and instinctive togetherness in the face of challenge,
Michael Howard
Conservative leader

He promised to be a prime minister who would roll up his sleeves and "get the job done".

He said: "It's only through specific action, through the detail of carefully thought through policy that you bring about change: not through airy-fairy talk; not through vague aspirations; not through charisma; just specific, detailed actions - carefully planned and forcefully delivered."

Mr Howard said Labour had used its big majority in Parliament to break promises on tax, let people out of prison and dramatically increase immigration.

'Beauty and wit'

He argued that at 63-years-old he could have retired to spend more time with his grandchildren but wanted to improve the country he loved.

"This country, this place called Britain, these islands of beauty and wit, common sense and splendour, quirky individualism and instinctive togetherness in the face of challenge," he said.

His speech came as Labour claimed Conservative health policies would put lives at risk by diverting funds from the NHS.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has continued his campaigning in Scotland, saying anything could happen on election night.

He said he believed that national opinion polls did not reflect the actual mood in different areas.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4501051.stm

Published: 2005/04/30 13:55:41 GMT

© BBC MMV

Tories scrap heads' qualification

The Conservatives have announced they would scrap the requirement for new head teachers in England to have a professional qualification.

The policy change followed accusations from education unions that Tory plans to shut the national training centre for heads were "totally incoherent".

Tory saving plans involve axing the National College for School Leadership.

Heads had questioned the logic of closing the only provider of what is a legally-required qualification.

In response, the Conservatives told the BBC News website that as well as scrapping the college they would scrap the requirement for the professional qualification it provides.

David Hart, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, had said the plans to close the national college for head teachers "blew a hole" in the credibility of the Conservative education policy.

'Professionalism'

The college is the only provider of the National Professional Qualification for Headship - which is legally required by any new head teachers in England. (Similar qualifications are required in other parts of the UK.)

It's rather like saying to the doctors, we want you to run the health service of the future, but we don't want you to have a royal college David Hart, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers

But the Conservatives have defended their policy, set out in the cost-cutting James Report, by saying they will now also get rid of the mandatory professional qualification.

"We will scrap the requirement and leave it to the good sense and professionalism of governing bodies to appoint the best candidate to fill a vacancy," said the Shadow Education Secretary Tim Collins.

The plan to scrap the college "flies in the face of all reason", said Mr Hart.

"It's a totally incoherent proposal. It's rather like saying to the doctors, we want you to run the health service of the future, but we don't want you to have a royal college.

"Or it's like saying to the armed forces, you're essential to the future - but we don't want you to have Sandhurst," he said.

The James Report is the Conservatives' cost-cutting blueprint, and scrapping the national college is part of the proposed £5.7bn savings in education - its abolition being detailed under the closure of "seven DfES funds/quangos and excessive administration".

'Nonsense'

"It's a nonsense because the college is responsible for the national qualification for headship and all candidates for headships have got to have the qualification, it's a legal, mandatory obligation. Who is going to run the qualification?" said Mr Hart.

Another head teachers' leader, John Dunford, has written to the Conservatives challenging the proposals to close the national centre for training heads.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, said it was "imperative" that the National College for School Leadership should stay open.

He said if the Conservatives were promising to give support to professionals such as teachers, this was inconsistent with closing down the national college designed to promote their professional standards.

A spokesman for Mr Collins confirmed the plan to remove funding for the national college - and said it was a "natural consequence" of devolving budgets to schools, including funds for training.

'Wrong direction'

"It is a saving identified by the James committee, to which we are committed," he said.

A Labour Party spokesperson attacked the closure plan as "making a nonsense of the Tories' claim to support head teachers" - and said the loss of the college was an example of how public services would be cut under the Conservatives.

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis said the "real Tory agenda on education is being revealed. They want to privatise everything from schools to staff support".

"A good head teacher is central to a successful school. Our schools need world class leaders and scrapping the National College for School Leadership is a step in entirely the wrong direction," he said.

The national college, based in Nottingham, trains heads, deputy heads and senior staff in schools - and its closure would represent a "very considerable loss" to the education system, said Dr Dunford.

Opened less than three years ago, there are currently 9,000 senior school staff using the college to follow the National Professional Qualification for Headship.

"I am very concerned when I look at the education section of the James Report," said Dr Dunford.

"The Conservatives are going to give more power to head teachers - and if they do that they need to make sure they're properly trained," said Dr Dunford.

"The recipe in the James Report is to leave that to private sector training which schools can buy into - but that's not good enough, because our experience is that far too much of it is of low quality.

"You need the national college there to provide the structure and quality of the training," he said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4458107.stm

Published: 2005/04/19 18:34:53 GMT

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