Labour spending plans leaked - papers 18 March

This would be nearly twice the level of spending seen - £372bn – when Labour came into office in 1997. The Treasury has refused to endorse the Red Book figures, as they only stretch to 2007/8, the paper says, but then prime minister Tony Blair himself has referred to the spending in a bid to show how Tory plans to reduce spending by £35bn would harm public services. The figure has also been referred to by transport secretary Alastair Darling. Meanwhile, plans to offer council tax handouts to over-65s have been branded less generous than plans of other parties, the paper quotes the ...