The extent of austerity measures facing Britain is laid bare today as the Treasury chief secretary reveals there will be no cut in the overall burden of taxation for at least five years.The message from Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat in charge of slashing the record £155bn deficit, will alarm Tory MPs and others who hoped that the government's programme of savage spending cuts would create room for tax reductions before the next election.But speaking to the Observer in his first national newspaper interview since entering the Treasury, Alexander makes clear that total tax revenue will have to remain at least at current levels throughout the parliament to put the nation's finances back in order."I think the tax burden is necessary as a significant contribution to getting the country's finances in order," he says. "So it will have to stay at that level for quite some time."
The extent of austerity measures facing Britain is laid bare today as the Treasury chief secretary reveals there will be no cut in the overall burden of taxation for at least five years.
The message from Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat in charge of slashing the record £155bn deficit, will alarm Tory MPs and others who hoped that the government's programme of savage spending cuts would create room for tax reductions before the next election.
But speaking to the Observer in his first national newspaper interview since entering the Treasury, Alexander makes clear that total tax revenue will have to remain at least at current levels throughout the parliament to put the nation's finances back in order.
"I think the tax burden is necessary as a significant contribution to getting the country's finances in order," he says. "So it will have to stay at that level for quite some time."
The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has warned the BBC that it faces making deeper cuts and refused to rule out a reduction the licence fee.Hunt, speaking in an interview at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, likened the BBC's situation to that facing government departments, which he said are being forced to make cuts upward of 25%. "The BBC has to live on the same planet as everyone else," he said.He was then asked if he considered the BBC to be a government department. "I wouldn't describe it as a government department. It is an arm's length body, a public body," he replied.Hunt reiterated his desire to see the corporation subjected to greater scrutiny, from financial transparency to putting "red lines" around its activities to protect commercial competitors, and indicated that next year's negotiations for the next licence fee settlement would be tough.
The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has warned the BBC that it faces making deeper cuts and refused to rule out a reduction the licence fee.
Hunt, speaking in an interview at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, likened the BBC's situation to that facing government departments, which he said are being forced to make cuts upward of 25%. "The BBC has to live on the same planet as everyone else," he said.
He was then asked if he considered the BBC to be a government department. "I wouldn't describe it as a government department. It is an arm's length body, a public body," he replied.
Hunt reiterated his desire to see the corporation subjected to greater scrutiny, from financial transparency to putting "red lines" around its activities to protect commercial competitors, and indicated that next year's negotiations for the next licence fee settlement would be tough.
And after that election night toadying too.
