Posing the question "Can we take that as written?" requires the response "No, we cannot". If you are going to blame the previous government for the deficit they need to be tried and found guilty for it first. That deficit could have happened to any governmnet who was in at the time of the global financial meltdown at the hands of the bankers.

So, without insult nor offence, I am happy to take part in a thread about spending cuts but your first paragraph was about aportioning blame that you now do not want mentioning. That aside... it is the ply of any new government to blame the outgoing one for any troubles.

I am not sure Argentina wil be drawing up plans. We still have an airfield in The Falklands that should be a credible deterrant to any repeat of our last legitimate war (if any war can be legitimate). Getting rid of Harriers seems crazy though nonetheless until JSF is in service (and lots can happen before then to stem their future).

I suppose the next generation aircraft carriers have to carry on or else we get into a Concorde fallacy once again on escallating costs. Who knows what contracts have been handed out with which guarantees? So I guess they are already past the point of no return on commitment to them.

Social housing funding has been cut by 50%. Just at a time when more people are likely to lose their jobs and their homes, they cut back on providing affordable social housing and are again looking to the private sector to solve it.

Of course the BIG news will come tomorrow and I think it may be wise to save further comments until we know exactly wha they have in mind and how Jill and Joe Public are likely to be hit.

The axe should be sharp enough by now as they have had long enough to sharpen it. They have wielded it for some time... here goes

mp