Tell us about the cuts as well as the giveaways so we know what we are voting for
The audience tonight, the BBC say, is made up of three lots of 25 per cent and the remaining 25 per cent are made up of those supporting other parties or who remain undecided.
David Cameron, unsurprisingly, is challenged on the claims from the Lib Dems today that there was research in 2012 indicating that he was thinking of cutting child credits. He’s asked to put them to bed. While he says that he isn’t going to cut them, and that he has raised them he also makes a point of saying he doesn’t want to put the rumours.
Why won’t you tell about the cuts as well as the giveaways?
An interesting question from a member of the audience that many voters are thinking about all the parties – he asks Mr Cameron that either he doesn’t know where the cuts are coming from or he does know and he is not telling the British public and that is a deceit.
The Conservatives have said they will cut £12 billion from welfare but have specified a very small amount of what these cuts will entail.
He says that getting people back to work will cut the welfare bill, he says he wants to stop young people feeling that they can leave school and never get a job.
He is not the only politician who has not told us where these cuts will come from. When it comes to detail they won’t be popular policies.
What we aren’t getting from him is specific policies that would do to get the big money for the tax cuts and other offers that the party has offered.
Instead Mr Cameron falls back on a favoured trick on this campaign trail – producing the note that Labour left in the treasury saying there is no money left. It’s a powerful argument and Liam Byrne must surely be regretting that leaving that light hearted missive now.
Pushed again on tax credits and child benefit he tells David Dimbleby that child tax credits are not going to fall. Child benefit is a key part of a family budget and that not what needs to be changed.
He says the change will come from universal credit, but again we are not hearing anything new about what specifics will give the £12 billion of savings.
“Ed Miliband will stand here and say lets go on with the budget deficit forever, I think we need to put money away for the rainy day,” is his key argument today.
A refreshing exchange with the Prime Minster there. He’s challenged on pouring more and more money into the NHS, which the questioner says is not working.
David Cameron says it’s dangerous to disagree with a member of the public in an election campaign, “but I disagree with you”.
“Well you’re wrong”, the audience member replies.