Those "cuts" - much ado about nothing

On page 17, paragraph 1.15 of the full Treasury report we find:

Total public spending (Total Managed Expenditure) in 2014-15 will be higher in real terms than in 2008-09. At 41 per cent of GDP, this will be around the same level of public spending as in 2006-07. Spending on public services in 2014-15 will be higher than 2006-07 levels in real terms.

There is an assortment of other PDFs available for download at the Spending Review Documents site, but take my word for it - the above paragraph almost says it all. Richard North says the rest:

To disguise the fact that, in most of the public sector spending is to increase (mainly to service debt and unfunded pensions), officials – elected and appointed – are now going through the elaborate charade of cutting back highly visible public services, including schools, libraries and police patrols.

With the connivance of the media and the unions, the public is thus gulled into believing that expenditure is being cut. By this means, they hope to divert complaints about the progressive deterioration in public services, as the unproductive "tail" gradually eats up a greater and greater share of the funds.