Blair presses £35bn 'cuts' claim

Mr Blair mentioned the £35bn figure 20 times during the speech

Tony Blair has accused the Tories of trying to keep quiet about plans for £35bn "cuts" to public spending.

He said Tory leader Michael Howard had avoided mentioning it during a speech in Scotland. The Tories say they would not address "a complete lie".

"It's the £35bn that dare not speak its name, but we are going to speak it, often," said Mr Blair in a speech.

The Liberal Democrats said voters would be "turned off" by the two parties' squabbling over figures.

'Absurd'

Mr Blair was criticised for describing the Tory plans as a cut, when he meant they planned to spend £35bn less a year by 2011-12.

The Tories say they would actually spend more than Labour on health and education, but would increase overall public spending at a slower rate.

If this continues until polling day it will be unsurprising if people don't turn out to vote Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrats

They insist not a single doctor, teacher or nurse would be cut under their plans, with savings to come instead from cuts in bureaucracy.

But Mr Blair signalled his determination to continue to press the theme by mentioning the £35bn figure 20 times during his speech to party activists in Wales on Friday.

He said plans to invest in hospitals, schools, police and community support officers, ID cards, defence, science and tackling poverty would all be threatened if Labour's investment plans were not met.

"If we believe in these ends, we have to will the means. And the means are the continuation of the investment.

"Take £35bn out of it and those programmes which the extra investment funds are cut. To pretend otherwise is absurd."

He added: "It's not a Labour smear, it's a Tory promise."

But a Conservative spokesman said Mr Howard had deliberately not mentioned the row at the Tories' Scottish conference in Dumfries.

'A complete lie'

"It is a complete lie and distortion that Labour are peddling and that is why we won't address it," he said.

"We want the election to be fought on the real issues and real policies. It is a 1% less of an increase in spending over six years."

On Thursday Mr Blair unveiled a poster stating: "The Tories will cut £35bn from public services".

But he conceded the Tories were merely planning smaller spending increases than Labour, although he insisted their plans would still lead to cuts in services.

'Real alternatives'

Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin hit back, saying Labour's poster was a "desperate attempt to deflect attention after people saw the flaws in Labour's 'vote now, pay later' Budget."

Liberal Democrat party president Simon Hughes, said: "On a day when trust in politicians is being questioned, voters will be even more turned off by the two old parties squabbling.

"If this continues until polling day it will be unsurprising if people don't turn out to vote.

"Whilst the Tories and Labour fight over their figures, it is the Liberal Democrats who are offering real alternatives for families and businesses up and down Britain."