OF this year’s New Year messages from world leaders two in particular stand out. The first is our own Prime Minister’s, the second is from France’s President Francois Hollande.

They have taken opposing stances on dealing with their financial problems – both have been tasked with sorting out someone else’s mess.

In Britain, Cameron and Osborne said cut spending, debt, and taxes to promote private sector enterprise and help households. In France, Hollande said increase spending, debt and taxes. The result? Britain now has the strongest recovery of the developed world; France one of the weakest.

So the message is clear. The pain we have all suffered together has worked. It has been worth it. And as we move forward with the still fragile recovery from the Great Recession we need to make sure we don’t mess it up by repeating the Great Mistakes.

So Cameron’s message had five points – keep reducing the deficit making sure we spend less of our grandchildren’s inheritance and keep interest rates low; continue cutting taxes to promote enterprise – the backbone of an economy – and to make sure households continue to be helped; back small businesses with measures that will also tackle youth unemployment; control welfare and immigration so people who play by the rules will benefit; reform education to ensure the best is available and delivered in the UK.

These are long-term measures that have been started and need to be delivered. But they have come under fire from our political opponents in Parliament. Labour argued that had the country adopted their policies of borrowing more, taxing more, spending more, increasing wages, the recovery would have been quicker.

One of the problems with tackling a crisis is that you never know how your policies would have compared with an alternative plan.

But we do now. Labour’s policies mirror Francois Hollande’s. So what has Hollande said? He now concedes his policies were wrong. He will cut spending, lower taxes and reduce labour costs for business.

Exactly what Cameron started three and half years ago. Is there now any doubt that we simply cannot afford to repeat the Great Mistakes?

CONTACT YOUR MP 

  • Email: mark.garnier.mp@parliament.uk
  • Telephone: 020 7219 7198 or 01562 746771
  • Write: 9a Lower Mill Street, Kidderminster, DY11 6UU, or House of Commons, Westminster, London