David Cameron admits Conservative spending plans will cost jobs

David Cameron yesterday admitted his savage spending cuts would cost jobs - then staggeringly tried to paint the Tories as the party to tackle unemployment.

In a tetchy interview on the eve of today's Tory annual conference in Manchester, he confirmed billions would be wiped off public services if his party win the general election.

At first he tried to claim it would not mean job cuts but challenged there had to be a huge "human cost" to a £30billion cut in public spending, he admitted: "That will involve some people losing their jobs."

Independent economist Professor Danny Blanchflower has said cuts of that magnitude could see unemployment hit five million. Mr Cameron's clanger exposed massive flaws in his party's proposed welfare reforms, aimed at getting all 2.6 million people on Incapacity Benefit back to work.

Under the plans, claimants would have benefits slashed by £25-a-week and have medical tests aimed at getting them working - but his cuts mean there will be fewer jobs. The Government has already announced its own plans to cut claimant numbers.

It means both parties are now competing to be tough on people abusing the benefits system.

But Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Mirror the Conservative plan exposed why Mr Cameron was unfit to be PM.

"David Cameron doesn't seem to understand that welfare to work doesn't work if you destroy the jobs for people to go to," she said.


"The Tories are opposing every penny of the extra £5billion we're putting into a big expansion of jobs and training particularly for young people."

She warned: "David Cameron's plans are a con that would be devastating for people looking for jobs. Their welfare to work plans are just a rehash of what we're already doing but without the investment needed to work."

The Tory leader told the BBC: "We have got two and a half million people unemployed, onein-five young people can't find a job. What we are doing is making it the centrepiece of our conference, a really massive get Britain working programme.I want the new Conservative Party to be the party of jobs and opportunity."

But Ms Cooper added: "David Cameron still can't answer the big question on unemployment.

How can he possibly help people into work if he wants massive cuts in investment in the middle of recession destroying hundreds of thousands of jobs? Little wonder Professor Blanchflower has said the Tory plans would push unemployment up."

The Tories lead Labour by around 12 points, according to latest polls. Mr Cameron will say today: "This is no time for half measures or faint hearts. We must be clear about the values we will bring to the daunting problems that lie ahead."

VERDICT BY KEVIN MAGUIRE
David Cameron is shifty, evasive and guilty of treating voters as if they're fools.

Getting a straight answer out of a CON-servative leader as slippery as an eel is proving difficult. How many jobs would Cameron cut? He won't say.

What would the wannabe PM do about Europe? He won't say.

How much are the millionaire and his heiress wife worth? He won't say.

The Bullingdon Boy thinks Christmas has come early - they're selling Election hopeful Santa hats in Manchester.

But the recession would be a depression if he had been in No 10. If we want honesty in politics, Cameron must stop dodging questions. Yesterday he was as straight as a nine-bob note.

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