British Austerity Needs to Start at Home

David Laws's predecessor left him a note saying: "There's no money left." If Mr Laws had chosen to write his own handover letter, it might have added a postscript. "And time's running out as well." The former Chief Secretary to the Treasury prepared his lightning round of £6.2 billion cuts as if there were no tomorrow. It was an assumption that proved broadly correct. Eighteen days after taking office, Mr Laws was gone.