SPLASHING THE CASH
CHANCELLOR Sajid Javid will put Britain on general election alert next week by revealing multi-billion pound spending pledges for 2020.
Downing Street today axed a planned economy speech by the Chancellor for tomorrow so the spending review could be brought forward to next Wednesday, September 4 – far ahead of the Autumn Budget.
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Mr Javid insisted the move was so Whitehall could have certainty ahead of Brexit.
But it will set bumper Government departmental spending plans for 2020-2021 – including the NHS and schools.
Sources told The Sun that some Cabinet Ministers had already been allotted their budgets this week by Treasury Ministers ahead of the announcement.
The spending review is expected to confirm a bumper increase for the NHS in line with plans for investment in crumbling hospitals.
But Mr Javid said departments would not get a “blank cheque”. He told The Daily Telegraph: It’s vital we continue to live within our means as a country.”
One Tory attempted to play down talk of an Election – and said it was more about providing “certainty” to Whitehall.
WHITEHALL BREXIT CERTAINTY
They told The Sun: “By making this announcement now Government departments know where they stand, so they can then separately prepare for Brexit – or a No Deal.”
But it comes just days after reports Britain could go to the polls as early as October 17.
Former Chancellor Philip Hammond in July warned the Brexit uncertainty meant plans for a three-year spending review would likely have to be scrapped.
He said that it was more likely the Treasury would resort to agreeing one-year budgets for 2020-2021. Labour has already accused Boris Johnson of “pre-election panic measures”.
A commitment to fast-track efforts to draw up public spending and investment plans was announced earlier this month - although the target date was given as just September, rather than “early September”.
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Mr Javid asked for a 12-month spending round instead of a longer-term exercise in a bid to “clear the ground ahead of Brexit while delivering on people’s priorities”.
A Treasury spokesman said Mr Javid’s economy speech, which was due to take place in Birmingham, was being rescheduled.
“The forthcoming spending round will instead be brought forward in early September and will cover the themes and priorities he was due to outline,” the spokesman said.
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Chancellor Sajid Javid unfazed by shrinking UK economy
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