Britain's Economy: Cameron and Clegg Face the Audience
Encyclopedia
Britain's Economy: Cameron and Clegg Face the Audience is a special live political debate programme which was aired on BBC television
on the evening of Wednesday 23 June 2010. The programme featured British Prime Minister David Cameron
and his Deputy Nick Clegg
facing questions from a specially selected audience following the previous day's emergency budget statement
in which Chancellor George Osborne
had announced £6 billion worth of cuts in Government spending. It was chaired by Nick Robinson
and saw Cameron and Clegg facing questions on the Budget's potential impact. The occasion marked the first joint interview with Cameron and Clegg since forming a coalition government
following the 2010 general election the previous month. The programme was aired on the BBC News channel at 7:00pm, then again on BBC Two
at 11.25pm. It was also shown on BBC Parliament the following Sunday.
, the first of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, was presented by Chancellor George Osborne at 12:30pm on 22 June and aimed to reduce the national debt accumulated by the Blair-Brown government. Highlights of the budget included a 2.5% increase in VAT
to 20% and a large reduction in public spending. Concerns were raised about the impact the VAT raise would have on the less well off, and the effects which would be felt by those working in the public sector.
The live debate was scheduled for the following evening and would be the first time Cameron and Clegg had conducted a joint interview since forming the coalition government in May. The studio audience for the programme was made up of 20 individuals, who were specially selected to represent a cross-section of society. Among those present were businessmen, public sector workers, self employed people and union representatives. A BBC spokeswoman told the Daily Mail
that the selection process had been conducted in a similar way to that of Question Time
, whereby people who apply to be in the audience are interviewed then chosen to ensure a mix of views are represented.
, who introduced Cameron and Clegg then took questions from members of the audience.
One of the main issues discussed was the planned cuts to public spending. David Cameron faced questions from public sector workers who were angry about a two year pay freeze for those earning more than £21,000 per year, arguing that it amounted to a real-terms cut in wages. Cameron admitted that this was effectively the case because of inflation. He also said that public sector pensions would be less generous in the future, but attempted to assuage concerns by saying that he intended to give up his own pension, worth £66,461 a year, once he left his job as Prime Minister.
Other highlights of the debate include Cameron saying that VAT
would remain at 20% until at least 2014, while Nick Clegg said that the Government would shortly announce reforms to the benefits system meaning people who wished to work more hours would not be worse off by losing money overall as benefits are reduced.
The debate itself lasted for 30 minutes, after which BBC News presenters Nicholas Owen and Joanna Gosling
presented a 20 minute segment analysing the debate and discussing some of the issues that had been raised. The programme was repeated on BBC Two
later that evening, at 11:25pm, then again on BBC Parliament
on Sunday 27 June.
the day after the debate, Quentin Letts
likened Cameron and Clegg's performance to an edition of Mr. and Mrs.
and reflected: "If the programme told us anything it was that the country has almost as many opinions about the Budget as there are voters, but that no one is particularly thrilled about the state of the economy. We also learned that Messrs Clegg and Cameron can share a TV studio without talking over one another. They may not yet be sharing toothbrushes but they seem to rub along pretty well."
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
on the evening of Wednesday 23 June 2010. The programme featured British Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
and his Deputy Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
facing questions from a specially selected audience following the previous day's emergency budget statement
June 2010 United Kingdom Budget
The June 2010 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as 2010 Budget - Responsibility, freedom, fairness: a five year plan to re-build the economy, was delivered by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the House of Commons in his budget speech that commenced at about 12.30 p.m on Tuesday...
in which Chancellor George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
had announced £6 billion worth of cuts in Government spending. It was chaired by Nick Robinson
Nick Robinson
Nicholas Anthony "Nick" Robinson is a British journalist and political editor for the BBC. Robinson was interested in politics from a young age, and went on to study a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree at Oxford University, where he was also President of the Oxford University Conservative...
and saw Cameron and Clegg facing questions on the Budget's potential impact. The occasion marked the first joint interview with Cameron and Clegg since forming a coalition government
United Kingdom coalition government (2010–present)
The ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition is the present Government of the United Kingdom, formed after the 2010 general election. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats entered into discussions which culminated in the 2010 coalition agreement, setting out a programme for government...
following the 2010 general election the previous month. The programme was aired on the BBC News channel at 7:00pm, then again on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
at 11.25pm. It was also shown on BBC Parliament the following Sunday.
Background
During the election campaign, the Conservatives had promised to hold an emergency budget within fifty days of coming to office. The budgetUnited Kingdom budget
The United Kingdom budget deals with HM Treasury budgeting the revenues gathered by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and expenditures of public sector departments, in compliance with government policy.Adjustment is achieved with the GDP deflator....
, the first of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, was presented by Chancellor George Osborne at 12:30pm on 22 June and aimed to reduce the national debt accumulated by the Blair-Brown government. Highlights of the budget included a 2.5% increase in VAT
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
to 20% and a large reduction in public spending. Concerns were raised about the impact the VAT raise would have on the less well off, and the effects which would be felt by those working in the public sector.
The live debate was scheduled for the following evening and would be the first time Cameron and Clegg had conducted a joint interview since forming the coalition government in May. The studio audience for the programme was made up of 20 individuals, who were specially selected to represent a cross-section of society. Among those present were businessmen, public sector workers, self employed people and union representatives. A BBC spokeswoman told the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
that the selection process had been conducted in a similar way to that of Question Time
Question Time (TV series)
Question Time is a topical debate BBC television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer questions put to them by the audience...
, whereby people who apply to be in the audience are interviewed then chosen to ensure a mix of views are represented.
The debate
The debate was first aired at 7:00pm on the BBC News Channel and chaired by BBC political editor Nick RobinsonNick Robinson
Nicholas Anthony "Nick" Robinson is a British journalist and political editor for the BBC. Robinson was interested in politics from a young age, and went on to study a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree at Oxford University, where he was also President of the Oxford University Conservative...
, who introduced Cameron and Clegg then took questions from members of the audience.
One of the main issues discussed was the planned cuts to public spending. David Cameron faced questions from public sector workers who were angry about a two year pay freeze for those earning more than £21,000 per year, arguing that it amounted to a real-terms cut in wages. Cameron admitted that this was effectively the case because of inflation. He also said that public sector pensions would be less generous in the future, but attempted to assuage concerns by saying that he intended to give up his own pension, worth £66,461 a year, once he left his job as Prime Minister.
Other highlights of the debate include Cameron saying that VAT
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
would remain at 20% until at least 2014, while Nick Clegg said that the Government would shortly announce reforms to the benefits system meaning people who wished to work more hours would not be worse off by losing money overall as benefits are reduced.
The debate itself lasted for 30 minutes, after which BBC News presenters Nicholas Owen and Joanna Gosling
Joanna Gosling
Joanna Marie Mussett Gosling is a television news presenter, broadcast journalist and author. She presents on the United Kingdom rolling news channel BBC News, as well as occasionally on the Saturday evening and late editions of the BBC Weekend News on BBC One...
presented a 20 minute segment analysing the debate and discussing some of the issues that had been raised. The programme was repeated on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
later that evening, at 11:25pm, then again on BBC Parliament
BBC Parliament
BBC Parliament is a British television channel from the BBC. Its remit is to make accessible to all the work of the parliamentary and legislative bodies of the United Kingdom and the European Parliament...
on Sunday 27 June.
Reception
A review of the programme gave it a lukewarm reception. Writing in the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
the day after the debate, Quentin Letts
Quentin Letts
Quentin Richard Stephen Letts is a British journalist and theatre critic, writing for The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, The Oldie and New Statesman, and previously for The Times.- Early life :...
likened Cameron and Clegg's performance to an edition of Mr. and Mrs.
Mr. and Mrs.
Mr. & Mrs. is a television show that originated in Canada in 1963, debuting in Britain shortly afterwards. The Canadian version was produced at CFTO-TV in Toronto and ran on the CTV network for 780 episodes, and was hosted by Roy Ward Dickson, who was also the show's creator...
and reflected: "If the programme told us anything it was that the country has almost as many opinions about the Budget as there are voters, but that no one is particularly thrilled about the state of the economy. We also learned that Messrs Clegg and Cameron can share a TV studio without talking over one another. They may not yet be sharing toothbrushes but they seem to rub along pretty well."