Prudence with a conscience

The refinement of the government line on “cuts versus investment” got a helping hand from Welsh Secretary Peter Hain today.

In an article in the Western Mail, he repeats some of the lines agreed in last week’s Cabinet – including a variation on “the next 10 years can’t be like the last 10 years” – but adds one of his own which takes Labour one step further from the Prime Minister’s simple dilemma rhetoric and appears to accept that cuts will come whoever takes over after the next election.

Peter Hain’s phrase is: “prudence with a conscience” (from Labour), versus “savage cuts” (from the Tories).

Prudence is, of course, a word Gordon Brown couldn’t stop saying not so long ago. Will we ever hear the PM utter this variation on an old theme?