Clarke attacks Labour's refusal to hold spending review

Ken Clarke has attacked the Government’s decision to postpone a spending review and accused them of trying to “shut down” debate on public spending.

The Shadow Business Secretary said, "To go on the basis that nothing has changed, to argue as the Prime Minister argues that every item of public expenditure at the moment is an essential part of our economic recovery, is absurd."

Ken stressed Labour were refusing to hold the spending review because it was “politically convenient” to do so.

And he called for a spending review across the whole of government:

"We need some options put before us and some proposals put before Parliament…They should have a spending review then we, as a responsible opposition, would have to respond to it."