Tory Split on Cuts

George Osborne is under pressure to tear up his austerity programme after Boris Johnson called on the government to drop its "hair-shirt, Stafford Cripps" agenda and Liberal Democrat leaders demanded a spending boost in the spring budget.
Speaking in Davos on Friday shortly after the release of figures showing the economy was again contracting, the London mayor said it was time to "junk the rhetoric of austerity" and instead take steps to boost confidence and spending.
The Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, who has for the first time conceded that the government cut investment spending too quickly after it arrived in office, was last night understood to have been swayed during a meeting with the business secretary, Vince Cable, to thrash out proposals in the next budget to spur growth.
On the table will be plans to cushion the blow of local authority budget cuts by allowing councils to borrow more freely to build new homes. It has been estimated that if borrowing caps were removed councils could build 60,000 homes over the next five years. Cable is also urging fresh proposals to make the state-owned banks lend, and has gone public on a call to change the inflation target.
Senior cabinet members are saying it is a racing certainty that the economy will suffer a triple-dip recession, requiring a further first quarter of negative growth.(1)

True, it's just two, if not more, but interesting to see the fresh display of public dissent from Johnson on this issue.

The downturn no doubt is partially caused by the indiscriminate cuts.

Footnote:
(1) http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jan/25/george-osborne-pressure-austerity-programme

The Hobbit P1 rocks

I watched the first Hobbit film Dec. 26th last year.

It is very enjoyable. Despite minor alterations in the storyline it is a very good rendition of Tolkein's book.

Those interested in high fantasy need to obtain it once it's out on DvD.