PBR 09: Cable attacks "unfair" and "optimistic" pre-Budget report

The government is being unfair and optimistic in its pre-Budget report according to the Liberal Democrats who believe the economy could be in for more pain before a recovery gathers pace.

Vince Cable, shadow chancellor, used his pre-Budget response in parliament to accuse the government of being overly optimistic in its recovery predictions.

“The government is saying ‘Lets assume economic growth’ - Well why?” he said.

He went on to say that the government predictions did not take into account the potential for another downturn.

He said the government should not rely on predictions, “based on optimism and very little else”.

He said it was unfair to in crease pay for a manual worker of 1 percent which would amount to “a real cut” in real terms.

“If there was to be restrain it should be a flat sum across the board, and that is the heart of the issue of fairness,” he said.

“Unless there is fairness the public will not accept that for the next 5 years or longer there is going to be a long hard slog for this economy. It is a complete distortion of the priorities that the government should surely have.”