The first round of public spending cuts will only be the tip of the iceberg as we already know, and while we may not be in as deep trouble as Greece or Spain, we certainly must start living within our means. This is likely to involve unpleasant cuts in many aspects of public expenditure and, while steps must be taken to protect front-line services, it is interesting to note that according to the Sunday Times (16th May) average regular pay in the public sector is almost £460 a week, while in the private sector is it only just over £420 a week. This gap of almost 10% is in addition to the fact that most public sector employees enjoy final salary pension schemes, while many of the rest of us do not.
This is by no means critical of public sector workers, simply a recognition that the cost of government is simply too high. Cuts need to be made but should, wherever possible, be sensitive to the needs of individuals. Better that they suffer a pay and recruitment freeze, than lose their jobs.
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