Tories urge Whitehall discipline

Mr Osborne said changing public spending attitudes would not be easy

The Conservatives have promised to create a "new culture of financial discipline" in Whitehall.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne said senior civil servants should have agreements on responsibility to taxpayers included in work contracts.

He added that public sector staff should have incentives for coming up with ideas to cut waste.

Mr Osborne told the Institute of Chartered Accountants it was possible to "turn the Whitehall supertanker".

'New powers'

He said the Civil Service Code should be being rewritten to incorporate "responsible financial management".

Mr Osborne added: "We need a new culture of financial discipline across Whitehall. That means new incentives, new information and new powers of investigation."

He said: "Creating a new culture of financial discipline in Whitehall is not going to be easy. It will be like turning around a supertanker.

"But with a determined political will and the right plans, we can do it. We can turn the Whitehall supertanker and put Britain on the right course."

A ComRes opinion poll for the Independent suggests the Conservatives have increased their lead over Labour to 15 points - from five points last month.

It puts the party on 43%, with Labour on 28% and the Liberal Democrats on 16%. ComRes telephoned 1,012 adults from 21 to 22 January.