The public deserve realistic measures not vote winning policies, the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims.
The thinktank said the government should be honest in the report, which comes out on December 9th, about cuts in public spending and rises in taxes aimed at reducing the public deficit.
In a report on how to deal with the UK's financial deficit the IPPR proposes that in the wake of the recession and the expenses scandal the public now expects honesty from politicians. The chancellor should take the initiative and use the pre budget report to set out long term but balanced tax rises and spending cuts.
The report, which contains contributions from leading experts on fiscal policy and public spending, outlines an agenda for the government to follow in next weeks report.
The five-point agenda proposes some bold decisions including reforming services such as the police and navy, increasing taxes, and the ending of ring fenced public spending.
Carey Oppenheim, co-director of IPPR said: 'The pre-Budget report is one of the last opportunities before the general election for the government to make an honest and bold statement about how it will tackle the public finances and to set out its vision for the economy over the next five years.
'Learning the lessons of the expenses crisis now is the time for the government to be honest with the public and engage them in a debate about priorities.'
He added: 'This will mean proposing measures that are likely to be unpopular, but necessary, if the government is serious about closing the UK's fiscal deficit.'
The thinktank said the government should be honest in the report, which comes out on December 9th, about cuts in public spending and rises in taxes aimed at reducing the public deficit.
In a report on how to deal with the UK's financial deficit the IPPR proposes that in the wake of the recession and the expenses scandal the public now expects honesty from politicians. The chancellor should take the initiative and use the pre budget report to set out long term but balanced tax rises and spending cuts.
The report, which contains contributions from leading experts on fiscal policy and public spending, outlines an agenda for the government to follow in next weeks report.
The five-point agenda proposes some bold decisions including reforming services such as the police and navy, increasing taxes, and the ending of ring fenced public spending.
Carey Oppenheim, co-director of IPPR said: 'The pre-Budget report is one of the last opportunities before the general election for the government to make an honest and bold statement about how it will tackle the public finances and to set out its vision for the economy over the next five years.
'Learning the lessons of the expenses crisis now is the time for the government to be honest with the public and engage them in a debate about priorities.'
He added: 'This will mean proposing measures that are likely to be unpopular, but necessary, if the government is serious about closing the UK's fiscal deficit.'
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