The day the coalition house of cards began to fall

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

The day after a budget is never easy. Budgets have an awful habit of unravelling, as far-fetched claims fall short, and rhetoric is replaced with cold hard reality. But what we’ve seen today is more than that. This government is built on some shaky pretences. In many ways it’s like a house of cards. Today one or two cards fell, but only time will tell if the whole house is about to come down.

It’s easy of course from opposition to point out every error and contradiction that a government is guilty of, but today has seen so many it’s hard not to see this as a real pressure point for the coalition.

So far today we’ve had Cameron’s pre-election claims that winter fuel allowance won’t be cut exposed as false, George Osborne’s fuel tax “cut” has unravelled, Nick Clegg admitting/worrying that he has few disagreements with Cameron, and perhaps most importantly, the realisation that increased inflation might mean the NHS faces a cut in real terms, rather than the promised rise. Essentially we’ve seen two of Cameron’s biggest pre-election promises exposed on the same day, the major talking point of the budget challenged, and the Deputy Prime Minister has basically admitted that the Lib Dems are in total agreement with the Tories. That’s one hell of a day for any government, nevermind one that’s enacting unpopular and unprecidented cuts. Really serious questions about honesty and trust should be asked of this government, and they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with the “we didn’t realise how bad the economy was” ruse this time.

If they’re not careful, a media narrative will start to develop that this government can’t be trusted, have little control over the economy, and little ability or willpower to make good on their promises.

Even committments made as recently yesterday are turning out to be flaky at best, and deceitful at worst.

The time is right to place the maximum possible pressure upon the government. That must be Labour’s task in the days and weeks ahead. It’s time to take the initiative, starting at the TUC national demo on Saturday. Ed Miliband’s keynote speech has never looked more crucial.