A new poll shows 60% of people are in favour of the Government taking steps to reduce the deficit

Comments

[JCS]

The most important aspect of this is people are in favour of the cuts unless it basically affects them in any way. I suspect that because of this there is going to be a lot of trouble for the government in the next few months!

[Elaine Turner]

The BBC made much of people agreeing with the cuts and then saying that the cuts couldn't affect the things they were most interested in, but all of those interviewed agreed that we couldn't live within our means. Therefore, if the cuts are pretty even handed and not affecting one department too much more than another, maybe the Govt will get away with it. However, keeping complementary medicine is an area that could be seriously looked at and abandoned!!!

There is a tremendous amount of speculation going on at the moment - is it managing expectations so that when the cuts actually come, they won't be as bad as expected? Or worse? (I hope not!)

[David Hollins]

"at the expense of others, not themselves" was left out.

If the question were put as "You are going to lose Govt payments, as is your granny, plus your pet projects are on hold now, while your other half's job might well go. Do you support the cuts?", then you would get a different answer.

[Robert]

Unfortunately or fortunately whatever the case may be the video wasn't working when I visited.

I think the problem is everyone knows that we need cuts and agrees to them, but only as long as they are not personally affected.

Whilst I may not like the cuts especially the ones that affect me, I realise that they have to be made not just for our sake, but for the sake of our children and grandchildren.

[James Trent]

The Coalition is cutting things like the Gurkahs, retaining wounded servicmen within the forces, NHS Direct, the Red Arrows etc whilst keeping the Unions, fake charities, smoking police etc funded with public money. It is precisely the opposite of what we were told would be done. Most people would gladly see the smoking jobsworths sacked, fake charities closed down and the unions made to generate their own revenue. The bloated, bullying part of the public sector is to be kept at full capacity whilst good things are cut. This is all deliberately done and is worse than what one would expect even from Labour. An end to the big state indeed, we've been had.

[Vincit Veritas]

The easiest and best thing to trim is the NHS and then the Unions. If NHS is confined to only really ill people, I bet general health will improve dramaically. Hypochindriacs can buy top up insurance even buy Duchy Original aAtenative Medicine if they want. MOD can cetainly be tidyed up and armchair loads of civilservants can be abolished. The benefits/tax system must be modiied so work actually pays.