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Tories attack Labour on 'unfunded spending' commitments Ed Milband says Labour to campaign 'house-by-house'
(about 2 hours later)
Labour has promised unfunded spending commitments of £20.7bn in the first year should they win May's general election, the Conservatives will claim. Ed Miliband will tell Labour activists to fight "house-by-house" to regain power in May's general election.
Five Tory cabinet members will say on Monday that Labour plans would amount to almost £1,200 extra borrowing for every working household in the UK. With the parties stepping up their attacks on each other's policies, the Labour leader wants supporters to hold four million conversations with voters.
Labour said it had no unfunded plans and its approach was "most cautious". Meanwhile, Conservative ministers are claiming Labour has promised unfunded spending commitments of £20.7bn.
Later, Ed Miliband will urge activists to hold four million conversations with voters before May's general election. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said only his party would keep a coalition government "anchored in the centre ground".
The Labour leader will describe the vote as "a once in a generation fight". BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said it was "blast off" for the election battle, saying "four months of campaigning begins today".
'Risk to recovery' 'Clear commitment'
Chancellor George Osborne and Leader of the House of Commons William Hague will be among those criticising Labour's spending plans at an event in Westminster. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Miliband promised a "positive campaign".
"We are putting forward a positive case for a change in direction," he said.
And he defended Labour's economic plans, saying he had made a "clear commitment" that outside protected departments - which include health - public spending would fall.
The Conservative claim of £20.7bn in unfunded spending commitments in the first year of the next parliament was "completely false", he added.
Chancellor George Osborne and Leader of the House of Commons William Hague will be among the cabinet members who will say Labour's plans would amount to almost £1,200 extra borrowing for every working household in the UK.
They will highlight the figure for unfunded spending, which is based on Treasury costings and "other reliable sources", a Conservative Party spokesman said.They will highlight the figure for unfunded spending, which is based on Treasury costings and "other reliable sources", a Conservative Party spokesman said.
But the party has not said how the final figure was reached, BBC political correspondent Chris Mason added. 'Economic risk'
But the party has not said how the final figure was reached.
A Conservative Party spokesman said the figures showed the "Labour Party have not demonstrated the fiscal discipline or economic competence that earns an opposition the credibility to form a government. The evidence shows they are a risk to economic recovery."A Conservative Party spokesman said the figures showed the "Labour Party have not demonstrated the fiscal discipline or economic competence that earns an opposition the credibility to form a government. The evidence shows they are a risk to economic recovery."
He added: "Our competent, long-term economic plan has put Britain on the road to a stronger economy. The deficit is down by half, 1.75 million more people have the security of a job, and last year Britain was the fastest growing major advanced economy." Chris Leslie, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said it was the Conservatives who had made "over £7bn of unfunded tax promises".
Chris Leslie, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said it was the Conservatives who had made "over £7bn of unfunded tax promises."
He added: "In fact the Institute for Fiscal Studies said last month that we had the most cautious approach."He added: "In fact the Institute for Fiscal Studies said last month that we had the most cautious approach."
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has also written to the Treasury's most senior civil servant, Sir Nicholas Macpherson, to request "urgent reform". While the Conservatives have focused their attacks on the economy, Labour chose the NHS for its first campaign adverts.
Mr Balls said the practice of the Treasury basing costings on "assumptions provided by special advisers, is now putting HM Treasury officials in an impossible position owing to Conservative advisers consistently providing blatantly false and politically-motivated assumptions." 'Strong coalition'
'People first' Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the health service would change "beyond recognition" if the Conservatives won power.
Meanwhile, in a speech in Salford, Mr Miliband will call on Labour Party activists to launch a "street by street" campaign to regain power. In a press conference on a busy first Monday back at Westminster after the festive break, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg will advocate "a strong coalition government, with Lib Dems anchoring it in the centre ground".
Mr Miliband will say the election amounts to a "contest between two different visions of how Britain can succeed."
He will add: "It is a choice between a Tory plan where only a few at the top can succeed and our public services are threatened - or a Labour plan that puts working people first, deals with the deficit and protects our NHS."
Also speaking on Monday, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg will advocate "a strong coalition government, with Lib Dems anchoring it in the centre ground."
The deputy prime minister is expected to brand Conservative plans to tackle the deficit "a con".The deputy prime minister is expected to brand Conservative plans to tackle the deficit "a con".
"They're trying to sell you an ideological approach to cuts to public services packaged up as continuity," he is expected to say."They're trying to sell you an ideological approach to cuts to public services packaged up as continuity," he is expected to say.
He is also set to claim Labour's policies represent a "clear and present danger" to the economic recovery.He is also set to claim Labour's policies represent a "clear and present danger" to the economic recovery.