Brown is leading with a weak hand

11.58.00am GMT Wed 10th Mar 2010

"The Budget must clearly spell out where Labour intend to make spending cuts in order to tackle the budget deficit. All we have seen from the Prime Minister today is more waffle" said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor today.

Responding to the Prime Minister's economic speech this morning and the announcement of the Budget date, Vince Cable said:

"Gordon Brown's speech shows he is leading with a weak hand.

"It's very difficult to see how the man who claimed to have abolished boom and bust can campaign on his stewardship of the economy after the greatest bust for decades.

"The only reason he is, of course, is because the Conservatives are even worse. The only consistent thing about their economic policy is that they have been consistently wrong.

"The Budget must clearly spell out where Labour intend to make spending cuts in order to tackle the budget deficit. All we have seen from the Prime Minister today is more waffle.

"Gordon Brown admits that there are bumps in the road ahead. The public know that and expect all parties to follow the Liberal Democrat lead and tell them where the bumps are and how we will be navigating our way over and around them."