This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30468974

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Cable: Tories would destroy public services Cable: Tories would destroy public services
(about 4 hours later)
Conservative spending plans would "destroy public services" if they were to win a majority at the next general election, Vince Cable has told the BBC. Conservative spending plans would "destroy public services in the way that we know them" if they were to win a majority, Vince Cable has said.
The Lib Dem Business Secretary said the Tories had been kept "on quite a tight leash" in coalition - but were now "getting into all kinds of extremes". The Lib Dem business secretary told the BBC Tories had been kept on a "tight leash" in coalition but were now "getting into all kinds of extremes".
He suggested the armed forces would be "almost ceremonial" after Tory cuts.He suggested the armed forces would be "almost ceremonial" after Tory cuts.
Chancellor George Osborne claims the Lib Dems plan "hefty income tax rises" and would cause "economic chaos" alone.Chancellor George Osborne claims the Lib Dems plan "hefty income tax rises" and would cause "economic chaos" alone.
The two coalition parties have been stressing their different approaches to reducing the deficit and managing the economy after next year's general election.The two coalition parties have been stressing their different approaches to reducing the deficit and managing the economy after next year's general election.
Forecasters predict public spending will fall to levels not seen since the 1930s, suggesting the loss of one million public sector jobs by 2020.
'Really worry''Really worry'
They, and Labour, face criticism of not being clear with voters about how they would reduce borrowing by closing the gap between tax revenues and spending in the next Parliament.
In an interview with BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Cable said he would "really worry" if Conservative Chancellor George Osborne's future spending plans were realised.In an interview with BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Cable said he would "really worry" if Conservative Chancellor George Osborne's future spending plans were realised.
He said information in the Autumn Statement suggested that Home Office spending, including on police officers, could be roughly halved, on defence "our armed forces would become largely ceremonial" and local government spending - on issues like social care - could be almost halved. He said information in the Autumn Statement suggested that Home Office spending, including on police officers, could be roughly halved.
He said on defence "our armed forces would become largely ceremonial" and local government spending - on issues like social care - could be almost halved.
"It would be devastating, it would be ideologically driven and I would be very strongly opposed to it," he said."It would be devastating, it would be ideologically driven and I would be very strongly opposed to it," he said.
He said his party could work together "on a day-to-day basis" with the Conservatives and there was some "common ground" on restructuring the economy - as there was with Labour - to avoid "short term credit bubbles". He said there was some "common ground" between the coalition parties on restructuring the economy - as there was with Labour - to avoid "short term credit bubbles".
But he told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that the speed and scale of future spending cuts outlined in the Autumn Statement "were not signed off" by Lib Dem Deputy PM Nick Clegg and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander. But he said that the speed and scale of future spending cuts outlined in the Autumn Statement "were not signed off" by Lib Dem Deputy PM Nick Clegg and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander.
"There are big differences in the way in which we approach this deficit reduction.""There are big differences in the way in which we approach this deficit reduction."
'Well behaved''Well behaved'
He told the BBC the Conservatives would "destroy public services in the way that we know them". He accused them of "ideological extreme plans" to cut departmental spending. The Lib Dems have a "different approach" and had a plan to keep to financial discipline with a "different mixture of tax and spending reduction". He told the BBC the Conservatives would "destroy public services in the way that we know them". The Lib Dems had a plan to keep to financial discipline with a "different mixture of tax and spending reduction".
"We've actually worked well in turning the country around. While we've been in coalition we have kept the Tories on quite a tight leash and they have been well behaved in a coalition."We've actually worked well in turning the country around. While we've been in coalition we have kept the Tories on quite a tight leash and they have been well behaved in a coalition.
"But now they have been let off the leash and confronting the possibility of majority government we are getting into all kinds of extremes. "But now they have been let off the leash and confronting the possibility of majority government we are getting into all kinds of extremes."
"There was this extraordinary poll this morning that showed that the public perceive the Tories as being to the right of UKIP. This is what happens when they are removed from the kind of constraints we put on them in coalition," said Mr Cable. Mr Osborne has suggested that, under Lib Dem plans income tax or National Insurance would have to rise to cut the deficit and electing either a Labour or Lib Dem government would mean a "return to economic chaos".
In an interview last week, Mr Osborne said that, under Lib Dem plans income tax or National Insurance would have to rise to cut the deficit and electing either a Labour or Lib Dem government would mean a "return to economic chaos". He told BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics on Sunday that he wanted to keep at the same pace of deficit reduction to "deliver greater economic security".
He added: "I think that politicians should solve the debt problems by delivering services more efficiently - not take the easy way out and dump the problem on families with hefty income tax rises." He said there was "nothing arbitrary" about his timetable for dealing with the deficit: "I think the prudent and sensible thing to do when your economy is growing, when things are on course, is to get on top of your problems so you are prepared for the future. This is precisely what should have happened a decade ago and didn't happen. "
Forecasters predict public spending will fall to levels not seen since the 1930s, suggesting the loss of one million public sector jobs by 2020. Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie questioned why the chancellor had not set out details of how he would enshrine in law a commitment to eliminate the deficit on day-to-day spending by government departments by 2017-18.
But Mr Osborne has dismissed BBC coverage of future spending reductions as "totally hyperbolic" and said arguments made against cuts in 2010 had been wrong. The announcement in the Autumn Statement was a "Tory trap" for Labour that was now "a shambles", he said.
All three of the main Westminster parties face criticism of not being clear with voters about how they would reduce borrowing by closing the gap between tax revenues and spending in the next Parliament.
Lib Dem MP and Deputy Commons Leader Tom Brake told BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics it would be "extremely difficult" for any party to be elected, if they were to set out now every spending cut necessary to eliminate the deficit by 2017/18.