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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Brown set to focus on education | Brown set to focus on education |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown will put spending on schools at the heart of his 10th and possibly final pre-Budget report. | Gordon Brown will put spending on schools at the heart of his 10th and possibly final pre-Budget report. |
| The chancellor said better education was vital for the UK to meet challenges from countries such as China and India. | The chancellor said better education was vital for the UK to meet challenges from countries such as China and India. |
| Higher fuel duty for motorists and air passengers are also expected as part of a package of "green" measures. | Higher fuel duty for motorists and air passengers are also expected as part of a package of "green" measures. |
| The Tories said Mr Brown's boasts masked falling living standards, while the Lib Dems said his legacy would be government waste and personal debt. | The Tories said Mr Brown's boasts masked falling living standards, while the Lib Dems said his legacy would be government waste and personal debt. |
| The chancellor, who is favourite to become the next prime minister, is expected to give an upbeat assessment of the economy, claiming it is performing better than most European competitors. | The chancellor, who is favourite to become the next prime minister, is expected to give an upbeat assessment of the economy, claiming it is performing better than most European competitors. |
| But his pre-Budget report is being seen as more of a political manifesto for the leader-in-waiting. | But his pre-Budget report is being seen as more of a political manifesto for the leader-in-waiting. |
| 'Planet' | 'Planet' |
| During a round of media interviews on Wednesday morning Mr Brown said the rate of growth in public spending would slow over the next few years but health and education would remain top priorities. | During a round of media interviews on Wednesday morning Mr Brown said the rate of growth in public spending would slow over the next few years but health and education would remain top priorities. |
| PRE-BUDGET PREDICTIONS Economic growth to meet or exceed targetFuel duty to be re-linked to inflationAir passenger duty tax increaseFuture education spending plans to be unveiledCrackdown on music and film piracy | PRE-BUDGET PREDICTIONS Economic growth to meet or exceed targetFuel duty to be re-linked to inflationAir passenger duty tax increaseFuture education spending plans to be unveiledCrackdown on music and film piracy |
| Improving the standard of education in schools, colleges and the workplace, was particularly important for Britain's future economic competitiveness, he said. | Improving the standard of education in schools, colleges and the workplace, was particularly important for Britain's future economic competitiveness, he said. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have stability in the economy. The problem now is to prepare this economy and this country for the future. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have stability in the economy. The problem now is to prepare this economy and this country for the future. |
| "You will not be able to do this unless you invest heavily in the education and training of young people, of children, young people and adults who are already in the workplace." | "You will not be able to do this unless you invest heavily in the education and training of young people, of children, young people and adults who are already in the workplace." |
| Mr Brown is expected to say the economy looks on track to at least match - if not exceed - the Treasury's 2% to 2.5% prediction of economic growth for this year. | Mr Brown is expected to say the economy looks on track to at least match - if not exceed - the Treasury's 2% to 2.5% prediction of economic growth for this year. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I want to see an increased winter fuel allowances for our pensioners Paul, London href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4884&edition=1&ttl=20061206082547" class="">Send us your comments The chancellor may also decide not to go ahead with plans to revise down the economy's trend growth rate to 2.5% from 2.75%. | |
| Mr Brown is also expected to unveil green measures in an attempt to steal back the initiative on the environment from Tory leader David Cameron. | Mr Brown is also expected to unveil green measures in an attempt to steal back the initiative on the environment from Tory leader David Cameron. |
| Speculation has focused on the possible taxes on "gas guzzling" 4x4 cars and for air travel, after the Stern review in October on climate change warned that action was necessary to combat global warming. | Speculation has focused on the possible taxes on "gas guzzling" 4x4 cars and for air travel, after the Stern review in October on climate change warned that action was necessary to combat global warming. |
| Mr Brown could also announce a carbon trading scheme for supermarkets, banks, universities, hotels, hospitals and government departments, the Guardian newspaper predicts. | Mr Brown could also announce a carbon trading scheme for supermarkets, banks, universities, hotels, hospitals and government departments, the Guardian newspaper predicts. |
| 'Wizard of Oz' | 'Wizard of Oz' |
| Under the scheme, firms would either reduce their own emissions or buy credits from other companies giving them the right to pollute more than their agreed limit. | Under the scheme, firms would either reduce their own emissions or buy credits from other companies giving them the right to pollute more than their agreed limit. |
| The pre-Budget report will be Mr Brown's 10th | The pre-Budget report will be Mr Brown's 10th |
| Mr Brown is also expected to announce a crack down on music and film pirates, with prison terms of up to 10 years for organised gangs, The Times reports. | Mr Brown is also expected to announce a crack down on music and film pirates, with prison terms of up to 10 years for organised gangs, The Times reports. |
| Mr Brown said he would not give precise details of his report until he delivered it in the House of Commons, which is expected to be at about 1240 GMT. | Mr Brown said he would not give precise details of his report until he delivered it in the House of Commons, which is expected to be at about 1240 GMT. |
| The chancellor was denounced by his Conservative shadow George Osborne as a "Wizard of Oz" chancellor, whose loud boasts of economic success masked actual failure. | The chancellor was denounced by his Conservative shadow George Osborne as a "Wizard of Oz" chancellor, whose loud boasts of economic success masked actual failure. |
| "It looks impressive but when you pull back the curtain there he is pulling levers that are not actually connected to the real world," he told BBC News 24. | "It looks impressive but when you pull back the curtain there he is pulling levers that are not actually connected to the real world," he told BBC News 24. |
| Living standards | Living standards |
| According to a dossier produced by Mr Osborne, Britain's performance on growth, unemployment, tax increases, budget deficits and productivity is actually lagging behind that of other industrialised nations. | According to a dossier produced by Mr Osborne, Britain's performance on growth, unemployment, tax increases, budget deficits and productivity is actually lagging behind that of other industrialised nations. |
| Much of this year's apparently healthy growth in the economy can be accounted for by the contribution of immigrants from eastern Europe, who have depressed earnings in some sectors, said the shadow chancellor. | Much of this year's apparently healthy growth in the economy can be accounted for by the contribution of immigrants from eastern Europe, who have depressed earnings in some sectors, said the shadow chancellor. |
| There has been no "feelgood factor" because inflation has been rising faster than wages, driving real living standards for the majority down. | There has been no "feelgood factor" because inflation has been rising faster than wages, driving real living standards for the majority down. |
| He also attacked the chancellor's plans to boost education spending, saying it had been heard before. | He also attacked the chancellor's plans to boost education spending, saying it had been heard before. |
| Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable said his party's research suggested wasteful government spending was now exceeding £30,000 a minute. | Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable said his party's research suggested wasteful government spending was now exceeding £30,000 a minute. |
| "Gordon Brown's legacy may be to leave his successor with two enormous problems - personal debt and government waste," said Mr Cable. | "Gordon Brown's legacy may be to leave his successor with two enormous problems - personal debt and government waste," said Mr Cable. |