We're doooomed!

Dire warnings from the Pink 'un this morning: Brutal choices over British deficit. One passage in particular should give pause for thought. Using government figures the FT calculates that a new government would need to do the following in order to save £30-40 billion from the budget (necessary to halve the budget deficit by 2014):

• a 5 per cent cut in public sector pay;
• freezing benefits for a year;
• means-testing child benefit;
• abolishing winter fuel payments and free television licences;
• reducing prison numbers by a quarter;
• axing the two planned aircraft carriers;
• withdrawing free bus passes for pensioners;
• delaying Crossrail for three years;
• halving roads maintenance;
• stopping school building;
• halving the spending on teaching assistants and NHS dentistry;
• cutting funding to Scotland and Wales by 10 per cent.

Thought I'd save the best for last there! Abandon ship!