UK debt tops £995 billion

[Gromit]

// official figures revealed a larger-than-expected surge in public borrowing last month.

The £15.2 billion jump in February's net borrowing excluding financial interventions such as bank bailouts was a record for the month and compared with £8.9 billion last year. The City had forecast a £7.9 billion rise.

Government spending was 8% higher at £52.5 billion in February, driven by an 11% surge in social benefits, the ONS said. Tax receipts were 3% lower at £43.3 billion, driven by a 12% decline in income tax. //

http://www.walesonlin...590508/#ixzz1pkJ1DDS9

Can Osborne deliver a budget to save us?

[d9f1c7]

yes, stop giving free money to work shy layabouts and that'll be cleared in 5 years. We'd save billions in interest alone. Stop paying a billion a month to the gravy train across the channel, we should be on the way.

[buildersmate]

Surely it's because as fast as the Government attempts to rein-in expenditure everyone else (and especially Ed Milliband and his cronies) seek to force this legal challenge (e.g. Benefits challenges) or that Parliamentary challenge (as per the NHS reforms). This messes up the planning assumptions.
Ed's only answer is 'soak the rich'. Trouble is, it is middle-income earners who provide the bulk of tax revenue income.

[infundibulum]

Thanks for making us AWARE?!????? of that Gromit.

Almost one trillion pounds in debt.

d9f1c7, you think the government pays out £200 billion a year on "giving free money to work shy layabouts"?
Where did you get your figures from?

buildersmate , how do "challenges" mess up "planning assumptions"?