Cameron to defuse Budget cut fears

UK: British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday sought to calm fears of swingeing budget cuts as his Conservative Party started its annual conference.

Cameron said his Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government inherited a “complete mess” from his Labour predecessor Gordon Brown after the May general election.

But he pledged to resolve the record deficit and create a bold, reforming government, in an interview with News of the World, Britain’s biggest-selling newspaper.

“Let’s put these cuts into perspective,” he said. “Many businesses have had to make far greater reductions than us in one year.”

The Conservatives’ annual conference got under way yesterday in Birmingham, central England, with just days to go before the October 20 spending review announcements aimed at tackling Britain’s debts.

The conference is likely to focus on dealing with the deficit and ensuring Britain stays out of recession.

“We are going to lay bare the legacy that we have inherited,” Cameron said.

London, Sunday, AFP