The battle over spending

What caught my eye in the papers this morning was a very useful feature in the Indy outlining Labour and Tory policy, as well as possible changes, on public services.

You are probably aware that UK public finances are such that tough choices will need to be made on taxation and spending whichever party forms the government after the 2010 election.  Therefore the debate raging between Britain’s two main parties looks sure to provide a rich vein of material for students considering the answers to questions such as:

To what extent do the policies of Labour and the Conservatives overlap?
Has Labour kept true to socialist principles?
Have the Conservatives abandoned Thatcherism?

Students seem to be put off answering questions on parties in the exam and this is beguiling considering that it is the topic that offers candidates the best chance to take a normative approach - a refreshing change after the GCSE years.

At the moment it looks like the Conservatives are placing the emphasis on cuts, while Labour stress the idea that cutting spending now will endanger the economic recovery.  This certainly fits the picture of the Tories being the centre right party in British politics and Labour on the centre left.  But as I say, this is a value judgement and certainly it could be argued that both are on the centre right.

Anyway, find the detailed picture from the Independent here. 

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