Britain's Economy: Cameron and Clegg Face the Audience

Lore & Background

The programme was scheduled for the evening after Chancellor George Osborne presented the emergency budget on 22 June 2010, which aimed to reduce the national debt accumulated by the Labour 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 studio audience for the programme was made up of 20 individuals, specially selected to represent a cross-section of society, including businessmen, public sector workers, self-employed people and union representatives.

Reader's Guide

The debate was the first joint interview with Cameron and Clegg since forming the coalition government in May 2010. It provided a platform for public scrutiny of the coalition's emergency budget, particularly the planned cuts to public spending. David Cameron faced questions from public sector workers angry about a two-year pay freeze for those earning more than £21,000 per year, arguing it amounted to a real-terms cut in wages; Cameron admitted this was effectively the case because of inflation. The programme was repeated on BBC Two later that evening and again on BBC Parliament the following Sunday. Its significance lies in being an early test of the coalition's ability to defend its economic policies directly to a representative audience, setting a precedent for live political accountability in the post-election period.

Did You Know?

• The programme was aired on the BBC News channel at 7:00pm, then again on BBC Two at 11.25pm.
• David Cameron admitted that a two-year pay freeze for public sector workers earning over £21,000 amounted to a real-terms cut in wages because of inflation.
• The debate lasted 30 minutes, followed by a 20-minute analysis segment presented by Nicholas Owen and Joanna Gosling.