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| Brown to unveil policy 'vision' | Brown to unveil policy 'vision' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown is to unveil his long awaited "vision" for the future in a package of plans seen as amounting to an early Labour election manifesto. | Gordon Brown is to unveil his long awaited "vision" for the future in a package of plans seen as amounting to an early Labour election manifesto. |
| The programme reportedly includes plans for local people in England to get priority on housing waiting lists. | The programme reportedly includes plans for local people in England to get priority on housing waiting lists. |
| But ahead of the statement, it emerged the scheduled review of spending would not be held before an election. | But ahead of the statement, it emerged the scheduled review of spending would not be held before an election. |
| Tory leader David Cameron called it a "relaunch without a spending tag" and accused ministers of "dishonesty". | |
| "The spending period currently operating in government stretches beyond the next election and therefore it is reasonable to review public spending at that time," Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "The spending period currently operating in government stretches beyond the next election and therefore it is reasonable to review public spending at that time," Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| Dishonesty claim | Dishonesty claim |
| Asked why there would be no spending review for the year 2010/11 when the government was borrowing £141bn more than it had predicted, he said it was impossible to predict how the economy would perform over the next two years. | Asked why there would be no spending review for the year 2010/11 when the government was borrowing £141bn more than it had predicted, he said it was impossible to predict how the economy would perform over the next two years. |
| "We are not in a position, in June 2009, to be able to forecast what growth will be and what the performance of the economy will be in 2011. That is why we have to wait," he said. | "We are not in a position, in June 2009, to be able to forecast what growth will be and what the performance of the economy will be in 2011. That is why we have to wait," he said. |
| But Mr Cameron said it was a "blatant attempt to cover up the truth about Labour's cuts". | |
| What the government is going to do today is to move on and to focus on the policies and the changes that the public want Lord Mandelson Ministers to unveil cancer pledge | What the government is going to do today is to move on and to focus on the policies and the changes that the public want Lord Mandelson Ministers to unveil cancer pledge |
| He said: "I believe there is a thread of dishonesty running through this premiership. From cancelling the election, and saying it had nothing to do with the opinion polls, to his claim that abolishing the 10p tax would have nothing to do in terms of hitting the poor." | |
| He said there had been a "pattern of deception about public spending". | |
| "This morning, on the day of their relaunch, Peter Mandelson has announced that they are cancelling the spending review. So today we have a relaunch, without a spending tag". | |
| The policy document being unveiled by Mr Brown in the House of Commons at 1530 BST is called "Building Britain's future" - although many of the proposals are thought to relate to England only as a result of devolution in areas such as health and education. | The policy document being unveiled by Mr Brown in the House of Commons at 1530 BST is called "Building Britain's future" - although many of the proposals are thought to relate to England only as a result of devolution in areas such as health and education. |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the plans were the vision Gordon Brown had promised when he decided not to call a general election in October 2007 - but had been delayed by the financial, then political crisis. | |
| And he said the plans essentially amounted to the Labour Party's manifesto for the next general election. | And he said the plans essentially amounted to the Labour Party's manifesto for the next general election. |
| Health plans | Health plans |
| Speaking to the BBC Lord Mandelson said talk at Westminster had been dominated by talk of MPs' expenses for months. | Speaking to the BBC Lord Mandelson said talk at Westminster had been dominated by talk of MPs' expenses for months. |
| "That's important but it is being sorted. What the government is going to do today is to move on and to focus on the policies and the changes that the public want." | "That's important but it is being sorted. What the government is going to do today is to move on and to focus on the policies and the changes that the public want." |
| He said those included responding to youth unemployment, "entrenching" people's rights and entitlements in hospitals, schools and policing and a "major new boost to social and affordable housing". | He said those included responding to youth unemployment, "entrenching" people's rights and entitlements in hospitals, schools and policing and a "major new boost to social and affordable housing". |
| Among other plans expected are a new venture capital fund to finance innovative companies in sectors like bioscience and low carbon. | Among other plans expected are a new venture capital fund to finance innovative companies in sectors like bioscience and low carbon. |
| The Guardian reports that local people will be given greater priority on waiting lists for social housing - seen as a response to the growth in a few traditional Labour areas of BNP support. | The Guardian reports that local people will be given greater priority on waiting lists for social housing - seen as a response to the growth in a few traditional Labour areas of BNP support. |
| Former minister Margaret Hodge was criticised by several Labour figures two years ago for saying social housing policy should be rethought to take account of length of residence, citizenship and National Insurance contributions. | Former minister Margaret Hodge was criticised by several Labour figures two years ago for saying social housing policy should be rethought to take account of length of residence, citizenship and National Insurance contributions. |
| In England, there are expected to be plans to give patients money to go private if NHS Trusts cannot meet the 18-week target between GP referral and treatment. | In England, there are expected to be plans to give patients money to go private if NHS Trusts cannot meet the 18-week target between GP referral and treatment. |
| And primary care trusts may be required to pay for private consultations for people suspected of having cancer, if they are not given a specialist appointment within two weeks. The British Medical Association has said most people were already seen in two weeks. | And primary care trusts may be required to pay for private consultations for people suspected of having cancer, if they are not given a specialist appointment within two weeks. The British Medical Association has said most people were already seen in two weeks. |
| Lord Mandelson insisted they were new policies and would be financed by switching funds within or between departments. | Lord Mandelson insisted they were new policies and would be financed by switching funds within or between departments. |
| "We have to live within our means as a government and being fiscally responsible is an important principle of New Labour," he said. | "We have to live within our means as a government and being fiscally responsible is an important principle of New Labour," he said. |