MobileLabour revising official line on spending
14:35 | Insider Research
We are currently witnessing a revision of Labour’s official line on public spending, according to the latest results from the PoliticsHome Phi100.
The Phi100 panel – which includes MPs and peers, media commentators, party strategists and think tank heads – were asked whether recent interviews by Ed Balls and Peter Mandelson, who have refused to speculate over spending after 2011, were an indication that Labour was revising its official line.
Previously the party have insisted that spending would continue to rise under a Labour government.
Eighty one per cent of the panel now feel that we are witnessing a change of strategy to allow for the possibility of future cuts.
The view is held across the political spectrum. Left leaning panellists believe more strongly than those on the right that we are witnessing a revision of the official line.
Yesterday on Marr, Ed Balls refused to speculate about spending levels after 2011, and Lord Mandelson has just appeared on the Today programme also refusing to commit to overall spending levels in the future. Do you think we are seeing a revising of the Labour line, to allow for the possibility of future spending cuts?
'Sanity must prevail'
A non-aligned media panellist said: ‘Think we're seeing the start of a more nuanced line, i.e. Labour want to portray Tories as 'doctrinaire' cutters, while Labour may have to make cuts but will not like doing so.’
A right-leaning panellist said: ‘Sanity must finally prevail.’
Another media panellist argued that the recent statements were ‘adding to the confusion, with Balls suggesting spending on schools will go on increasing while Mandelson says Labour can't make any predictions. They are all over the place.’