Vested Interest Watch: That first £6bln

I noticed the reactions to the first £6bln of cuts that were picked out by The Independent here.

Let us just take a look at them all:

A Liberal Democrat plan to axe child trust funds, which will save £520m from next year, prevailed over a Tory manifesto pledge to cut them for better-off families. Mr Laws said it was a "deception to claim that young people are being made richer" by the funds because "for every pound paid into this scheme there is an extra pound of public debt".

But David White, chief executive of the Children's Mutual [VESTED INTEREST PROVIDING CHILD TRUST FUNDS], said: "We are appalled by the Government's announcement. This is a betrayal of millions of families."

University lecturers[VESTED INTEREST] attacked the decision to halve the number of extra students to be enrolled this September. Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union [VESTED INTEREST], said: "Students [VESTED INTERESTS] must wonder what they have done to be treated so badly by this coalition Government. First, the Liberal Democrats[VESTED INTEREST] renege on their flagship policy to fight against fees, and now the opportunity of a university education is being restricted."

Steve Smith, president of Universities UK[VESTED INTEREST], which represents vice-chancellors[VESTED INTEREST], said it was not student numbers but funding per student that was crucial. "This is the only way we can hope to maintain the world-leading position of the UK's higher education system," he added. Academics believe about 200,000 would-be students will be turned away this summer following a 15.6 per cent rise in applications.

The "only way we can hope to maintain..."? Doubt it.

For all the complaints of "unfair", has it ever occurred to those people of how "unfair" it is to keep racking up even more debt, to have a massive payroll albatross hanging around the necks of a shrinking private sector?

If I get a chance I will add more Vested Interests as I see them.