Tax cuts? First fix the Britain you broke

Hunt faces funds demand. Unions: UK in deep crisis

- ASHLEY COWBURN

WITH public services already in dire straits after 14 years of Tory devastation, unions today warn Jeremy Hunt tax cuts would only make the crisis worse.

There are fears the Chancellor will try to woo fed-up voters with billions of pounds worth of tax bribes at Wednesday's Budget in a bid to turn around his party's abysmal poll ratings.

And unions for frontline public sector staff warned the exodus of workers struggling to cope with chronic underfunding will grow bigger.

In a letter to Mr Hunt, the 18 bodies say: "Everywhere is in crisis. Waiting lists are soaring, classrooms are falling down, courts are drowning with huge backlogs, prisons are dangerously overcrowded and councils are struggling to provide much beyond even the most basic of services.

"Crumbling public services are having a devastating impact on the country and the economy. People's inability to access crucial services is making the population sicker and forcing many to miss days at work or leave the labour market entirely.

"This is why it's vital you provide extra funding in the Budget. The country simply cannot afford not to invest in its public services.