George Osborne asks Facebook generation: Where do you want the axe to fall?

Published on Friday 9 July 2010 18:19

GEORGE Osborne yesterday logged on with the Facebook generation when he launched his new website asking the public for suggestions on where the axe ought to be wielded when he administers the savage cuts promised by the government.

The first users of the Treasury's "Spending Challenge" website criticised the government for shielding foreign aid from massive spending cuts which will hit services in this country.

As hundreds of suggestions poured in, the most popular was for international development to take some of the pain. Whitehall departments are braced for average cuts of 25 per cent in spending over five years - and have been told to prepare plans for up to 40 per cent - under plans to tackle the UK's record deficit.

Only the NHS and foreign aid have been told they are safe from the reductions. Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted that Britain must meet international targets for helping the world's poorest.

Initial responses to the website suggested, however, that the message could prove difficult with voters amid harsh "austerity" measures at home.

Among suggestions given the highest rating by users on the site were two calling for the overseas effort to be curbed - particularly to countries such as India.

Others receiving strong backing were cutting perks such as television for prisoners, scrapping Trident, refusing to pay the 12 million cost of the Pope's planned visit, legalising drugs and withdrawing from the European Union.

There was also support for further restrictions on the pay of senior civil servants and the taxpayers' contribution to public-sector pensions and for severe crackdowns on benefits.

Mr Osborne warned in his Budget last month that public spending would have to be reduced by 32 billion a year by 2014-15 to help bring down the 149 billion deficit. Details of where the axe will fall will be set out in October.

"We are facing the challenge of a lifetime." Mr Osborne said at the website's launch. "That's why I'm asking everyone across the country to send in their ideas. We need to tackle this huge national debt and make our economy stronger, and it's your ideas that will help us do that."

The website - modelled on one launched by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg last week to seek suggestions on which laws and regulations should be scrapped and civil liberties restored - is open for ideas until the end of August. A tie-up with social networking site Facebook will also allow its users to submit and discuss ideas - a move hailed by Mr Cameron.

He was shown on the Number 10 website chatting via webcam with the US founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.

"There's an enormous civic spirit in this country where people want to take control of things are do things in a different way. We are giving them the opportunity with Facebook," Mr Cameron said.z