George Osborne surprises Labour Party

George Osborne has today set out the UK government's public-sector budget for the next four years which will bring in multibillion pound savings. However, surprisingly, the average budget reduction across the government departments is around 19% which is slightly lower than the figure of 20% which the Labour Party had apparently pencilled in earlier this year. So where does this leave opposition parties?

While there is no doubt that opposition parties will attack the major cost-cutting exercises on the welfare state, the reduction of council benefits and other cost-cutting exercises it does leave the Labour Party in something of a difficult situation. If Ed Miliband continues to attack the Conservative party/Liberal Democrat party spending recommendations then effectively he is cutting himself adrift from the previous Labour government and its policies. Is this the perfect time for Ed Miliband to go it alone?

All political parties have a number of issues to consider with the coalition government under pressure because of major cuts in welfare state while the opposition parties need to tread carefully because many of the UK public believe welfare state benefits should be cut. Each party will need to find a balance between a forward-looking policy and public opinion.