Changes

==Overview==

==Overview==

The Conservative party wish to end the structural deficit within five years (the length of a parliament), even if it means a period of serious austerity and cuts. 192 government bodies will be abolished, with their functions either ended or transferred elsewhere.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11538534</ref> This includes stopping bodies which spend public money on arts and films (e.g. British Film Council) and also includes transferring powers back to the government (e.g. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) to stop appointed (un-elected) officials from making important decisions. Approximately 500,000 public sector jobs will be terminated<ref>http://www.londonpatriot.org/2010/10/21/half-a-million-public-sector-workers-to-lose-their-jobs/</ref> with measures in place to encourage the private sector to increase employment.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11617150</ref> David Cameron has shown an understanding that only the private sector can drive economic growth and seems to be a clear adherent of Thatcherism. The budget of each government department will be reduced by up to 35.61% by 2014.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11583746</ref>  

The Conservative party wish to end the structural deficit within five years (the length of a parliament), even if it means a period of serious austerity and cuts. 192 government bodies will be abolished, with their functions either ended or transferred elsewhere.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11538534</ref> This includes stopping bodies which spend public money on arts and films (e.g. British Film Council) and also includes transferring powers back to the government (e.g. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) to stop appointed (un-elected) officials from making important decisions. Approximately 500,000 public sector jobs will be terminated<ref>http://www.londonpatriot.org/2010/10/21/half-a-million-public-sector-workers-to-lose-their-jobs/</ref> with measures in place to encourage the private sector to increase employment.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11617150</ref> David Cameron has shown an understanding that only the private sector can drive economic growth and seems to be a clear adherent of Thatcherism. The budget of each government department will be reduced by up to 35.61% by 2014.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11583746</ref>  

==Protected Departments==

==Protected Departments==

Spending on Health, Energy and International Development will not be reduced, though all may have a real-terms reduction due to inflation. The Cabinet Office, which runs government in a sense, will have cuts, but will have a spending increase due to taking on lots of duties from the abolished government bodies. The National Health Service to be massively reorganised, with bureaucracy to be cut down on by the abolition of Primary Care Trusts - the bloated government bodies which run hospitals in a certain area. Instead, committees of doctors will prioritise spending in their areas. The International Development department will be expected not to increase the amount spent on aid, but to still make efficiency cuts, spend less on hospitality and to make redundancies.  

Spending on Health, Energy and International Development will not be reduced, though all may have a real-terms reduction due to inflation. The Cabinet Office, which runs government in a sense, will have cuts, but will have a spending increase due to taking on lots of duties from the abolished government bodies. The National Health Service to be massively reorganised, with bureaucracy to be cut down on by the abolition of Primary Care Trusts - the bloated government bodies which run hospitals in a certain area. Instead, committees of doctors will prioritise spending in their areas. The International Development department will be expected not to increase the amount spent on aid, but to still make efficiency cuts, spend less on hospitality and to make redundancies.  

The BBC, the public broadcasting service in the United Kingdom, is often accused of being left-wing.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308215/Yes-BBC-biased-Mark-Thompson-admits-massive-lean-Left.html</ref><ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-475412/The-BBC-A-cauldron-hate-Margaret-Thatcher.html</ref> Meanwhile, conservatives in the United Kingdom are often accused of wanting to 'cut up' or privatise the BBC.<ref>http://www.spectator.co.uk/essays/all/5200068/will-the-tories-attack-the-bloated-bbc.thtml</ref> In reality, the conservatives have frozen the BBC budget for 6 years (a large real-term cut, due to inflation) and have given it more responsibilities, ending extra funding for Welsh language television, for example.

The BBC, the public broadcasting service in the United Kingdom, is often accused of being left-wing.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308215/Yes-BBC-biased-Mark-Thompson-admits-massive-lean-Left.html</ref><ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-475412/The-BBC-A-cauldron-hate-Margaret-Thatcher.html</ref> Meanwhile, conservatives in the United Kingdom are often accused of wanting to 'cut up' or privatise the BBC.<ref>http://www.spectator.co.uk/essays/all/5200068/will-the-tories-attack-the-bloated-bbc.thtml</ref> In reality, the conservatives have frozen the BBC budget for 6 years (a large real-term cut, due to inflation) and have given it more responsibilities, ending extra funding for Welsh language television, for example.

==Devolved Government Spending==

==Devolved Government Spending==

==Response==

==Response==

The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alan Johnson, said that the government is taking a "reckless gamble with people's livelihoods" and claimed the cuts were too quick, too deep and would cause a second recession. The Shadow Chancellor's speech made it clear that he did not believe that economic growth must come from the private sector, but instead believed that employing people in the public sector, adding to the national debt, was good for the economy.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11585241</ref> Stewart Hosie, on behalf of the Scottish National Party said, "George Osborne has pulled the rug from under recovery with these reckless cuts, and risks plunging the country back into recession." The Green Party of England and Wales, The Labour Party and Plaid Cymru all criticised the spending cuts. However, business groups showed clear support of the cuts, with the Director General of the CBI saying, "The chancellor has got the strategic direction." The Taxpayers' alliance said it was 'great news'.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11585312</ref>

The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alan Johnson, said that the government is taking a "reckless gamble with people's livelihoods" and claimed the cuts were too quick, too deep and would cause a second recession. The Shadow Chancellor's speech made it clear that he did not believe that economic growth must come from the private sector, but instead believed that employing people in the public sector, adding to the national debt, was good for the economy.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11585241</ref> Stewart Hosie, on behalf of the Scottish National Party said, "George Osborne has pulled the rug from under recovery with these reckless cuts, and risks plunging the country back into recession." The Green Party of England and Wales, The Labour Party and Plaid Cymru all criticised the spending cuts. However, business groups showed clear support of the cuts, with the Director General of the CBI saying, "The chancellor has got the strategic direction." The Taxpayers' alliance said it was 'great news'.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11585312</ref>

==Welfare cuts==

==Welfare cuts==

==See also==

==See also==

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11583746 BBC breakdown of spending cuts]

* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11583746 BBC breakdown of spending cuts]

[[Category:British Politics]]

[[Category:British Politics]]