Gordon Brown’s pre-election strategy of portraying Labour as the party of investment hit another hurdle on Friday after a poll suggested widespread skepticism about his approach.

Only one in four people thinks the prime minister is being “open and honest” about the need to cut public spending to reduce national debt, according to a survey by ComRes for the BBC.
By contrast, 39 per cent think this is true of David Cameron, the Conservative leader, who has warned that whoever is in government after the next general election will have to make deep Whitehall cuts.
The economic downturn has undermined the public finances, as the national debt heads for £175b this year and an estimated 79 percent of gross domestic product by 2013.
Mr. Cameron scored more highly than Mr. Brown on the “honesty” issue in every age bracket, social category and region – bar Scotland, where the Tories still lack broad support.
Nearly twice as many people told ComRes that the Tories would be better at managing the public finances as said Labour would – 28 percent to 15 percent – although nearly half thought there would be no difference.
But few said they would accept tax rises or cuts to vital public services in an early sign of the difficult task faced by the next administration. Two-thirds said they would not back cuts to schools or hospitals nor a rise in taxation.
This points to the hugely unpopular choices that will have to be made by Mr. Cameron if – as opinion polls suggest – he becomes prime minister next summer.
The ComRes research comes as KPMG, the accountancy group, warns of a “period of austerity” in the public finances that could last for up to a decade.
The group says in a report on Saturday that cuts are likely in funding for local government, defense, transport, police and justice.
Alan Downey, head of public sector for KPMG, said it would be dangerous for ministers to “drift unprepared into a public sector recession that is fast approaching”. Instead, it was vital to plan a “comprehensive” program to tackle the crisis.
Steve Bundred, Audit Commission head, warned last week that a public sector pay freeze could be needed to restore the public finances to full health. Stephen Timms, a Treasury minister, told a committee on Thursday that Mr. Bundred’s suggestion was being considered – although no decision had been made.
Clashes over public investment have become a regular feature at prime minister’s questions in the Commons.
Harriet Harman, standing in for Mr. Brown this week, insisted that the government would “invest now to back up the economy” to prevent a worse downturn. William Hague, facing her from the opposition benches, pointed out that annual capital spending would fall from £44bn this year to £22b in 2013
(Source: Ft.com)