The Scotsman cartoon: Cameron revs up election talk

DAVID Cameron warned that Labour’s failure to tackle the deficit in the public finances could plunge the country into “real poverty” if they regained power in the general election in May.

Illustration: Iain Green

As the main parties moved on to a clear election footing, the Prime Minister insisted his plans to eliminate the deficit by 2018 were “moderate, sensible and reasonable”.

He said he did not want to see the regular armed forces cut any further, but refused to commit to maintaining the Nato target of spending 2 per cent of national income on defence, saying it “depends on what happens on the economy”.

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