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Spending cuts ‘will hit the police and elderly’

Ed Balls says that 30,000 officers may be lost
Ed Balls says that 30,000 officers may be lost
OLI SCARFF/GETTY IMAGES

The cuts under a Conservative-led government in the next parliament will be deeper than those already administered in the past five years, Ed Balls will say today.

The shadow chancellor will argue that Tory spending plans will bring “unprecedented” cuts to areas of public spending that are not ring-fenced.

He will say that the elderly could be hit by a reduced social care budget, while cuts to the police force could make 30,000 officers redundant.

Labour believes that Tory spending plans for social care until 2020 would be the equivalent of 260,000 fewer older people receiving social care, a third of the number of elderly who receive care at present.

In a speech in central London before the budget on Wednesday, Mr Balls will say: “This would mean eligibility to care services further restricted, meaning hundreds of thousands of vulnerable older people missing out.

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“It would mean even more elderly people trapped in expensive hospital beds when they don’t need to be. And it would mean even more elderly people turning to A&E because they are unable to access the care and support they need.”

He will add: “When the terror threat is increasing and child protection under great pressure, these plans would also mean huge cuts in the Home Office budget — equivalent of another 29,900 police officers.

“We are not even half way through the cuts the Tories are planning.”