Mehdi Hasan

Mehdi Hasan’s polemical take on politics, economics and foreign affairs

Caring Cameroonian Conservatives?

Quote of the day.

By Mehdi Hasan Published 20 July 2010 12:02

Oh, that was easy. I just threw in plenty of programmes for children and vulnerable people. That should give them something to think about. I wasn't born yesterday. If that's how they want to play this game . . .

* Unnamed Tory minister, explaining to the Telegraph's Ben Brogan how he'd come up with a package of 25 to 40 per cent cuts in departmental spending, in the face of resistance from civil servants.

(Hat-tip: George Eaton).

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Tags: Spending Cuts Conservatives

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5 comments

Tue, 2010-07-20 16:38 — Richard (not verified)

I don't know if I should laugh or cry!

Tue, 2010-07-20 17:24 — Sam (not verified)

It doesn't say anything about resistance from civil servants in the blog?

It seems the minister in question is trying to save his budget.

I think it's quite sinister that you're purposely trying to misrepresent this minister given the position you hold has an editor/journalist.

Oh, I seem to remember a certain chief secretary making a joke out of the fact this country is bust. He must he a cruel Tory in disguise!

Wed, 2010-07-21 23:12 — Romana (not verified)

What a Joke!!!
Neither where we born yesterday......

Thu, 2010-07-22 23:40 — MickGJ (not verified)

What the minister (is claimed to have) actually said was that he'd made sure the "doomsday scenario" of 40% cuts he was asked to present to the Treasury contained cuts to programmes for children and vulnerable people. He didn't come up with new programmes to placate his civil servants.
It's only a paragraph or so, I'm amazed you managed to so completely misunderstood it. Is this what the pressure of having to blog all the time does to journalism?