Political choices....

Reports this morning that the UK Government is about to give Ireland a £7 billion loan. Fair enough, the Irish economy is in tatters, they need the money, it's only a loan and we'll get it back, (eventually) says George Osborne.

So why did he refuse a measly £80 million loan to Sheffield Forgemasters? The company needed it, it was only a loan and we would get it back. In fact the country would benefit by having a company at the forefront of turbine manufacturing, a key export industry.

And why are our cuts in public spending to be so severe and so swift? If there is £7 billion to lend, there must be similar amounts to keep vital services going and people in jobs.

Politics is about choice. The real crime of theTorydems is that the consciously and deliberately choose to cut jobs and services when they could make other choices. Choices that would be better for the UK economy and the British people.

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