Mr. Speaker, these kinds of statements and the earlier statement just add to the mixed signals and the uncertainty to which the market is reacting.
This is the government's last chance before the summer recess, the last chance to stop dancing around on spending cuts and deficit reduction. It is the last chance to come down hard on the side of deeper spending cuts in order to cope with the deficit.
Is there anyone on the government side, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the finance minister, who is willing and prepared to commit the government to announcing deeper spending cuts in September?