The chancellor has in effect admitted that more cuts will be needed in 2018 – but he won’t say where
George Osborne wanted us to focus on eye-catching unique measures on sugar and young people,but the budget has serious implications for public services. Departments already struggling with existing plans know that they will have to make additional cuts in 2019–20 – but the chancellor is not going to reveal anyone where these cuts will topple until 2018.
Back in November, Osborne announced the spending plans that he expected to last the rest of the parliament. But in January it was already clear that departments were struggling to meet their spending commitments. In the budget on 16 March, or the chancellor had to confess likely overspends in both justice and health,although he had some better news from transport, defence and international development.
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Source: theguardian.com