I am really more interested in discussing the cuts, their consequences and the alternatives.

"The alternatives" to the cuts include other ways of reducing the deficit, such as putting up income tax, or finding ways of increasing the national income, which can in fact mean intelligent extra spending rather than clumsy cuts.

Cuts imposed clumsily are liable to backfire - for example it's estimated that for every pound spent the UK Film Council has resulted in £5 additional film revenue form the UK. So they butcher the UK Film Council...