Bosses’ paper reveals what the cuts would mean

The Financial Times newspaper, using government figures, suggests the main parties’ plans to cut the deficit would require “all of the following:

“A 5 percent 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; and cutting funding to Scotland and Wales by 10 percent.”