*** CHECK AGANIST ACTUAL DELIVERY ***

Thank you Lord Mayor.

The previous debate has shown clearly that Forgemasters has been betrayed by the Masters of Forgery. Now we know: Brutus wasn't the only man to wear sandals and betray his city.

Let nobody be in any doubt. This is a budget from hell. It is pure fiscal sadism. It is too much, too soon and it's too dangerous... Premature cuts like these will kill off growth and cripple communities.

And how do I know this? Not just from distinguished economists, not just from our manifesto but from yours.

I've dug this out [Nick Clegg's election leaflet]. It says, quote "respected economists have warned that Tory plans for immediate cuts in public spending will make it even more difficult to find work." So said Nick Clegg 3 months ago. The Lib Dems may have sold their soul for 30 ministerial jobs, rather than 30 pieces of silver, but the betrayal is just as blatant.

The lies get worse... Who said this? [I read out from Lib Dem leaflet] "Conservative plans will mean cuts to services now and a longer recession"... Printed and Promoted on behalf of... Paul Scriven.

It is very simple: the public debt out-turn is now £15bn less than when you said that. Everything you have said about the public debt was known when you wrote those leaflets. Nobody in Sheffield will believe a word you say ever again.

All I can say is thank God we've got Paul Blomfield in Parliament, standing up for Sheffield, and not that hack-and-slash Tory (Scriven).

This dogmatic travesty is the first Liberal budget for nearly 70 years. 

No wonder they are so few and far between.

No wonder the Lib Dems are down to 13% in the polls.

No wonder you lost two parish by-elections in strong Lib Dem wards in Sheffield this month.

No wonder 40% of Lib Dem voters will never vote for you again.

No wonder a South Yorkshire Councillor has said being a Lib Dem makes her "ashamed". 

You have brought this on yourselves by rolling over. What a sorry state you are in: In three short months, Nick Clegg has gone from king-maker to tea-maker.

Who among you is actually proud of this budget? Anybody?* It is shameful. But don't take my word for it:

Your own Tory-dominated Treasury Select Committee has said the cuts, quote, "may come too early and cut too deeply, and as such cause the economic recovery to falter, leading to a "double-dip' recession".

Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said, quote, "This budget paints a bleak picture for people in poverty. Raising VAT to 20% will hit people in poverty hard... [Departmental cuts] will hit the poorest the hardest.

The Royal College of Nurses has said, quote, "cuts to social care budgets will jeopardise the health of vulnerable people".

Citizens Advice, quote, "Households on the lowest incomes, including many in low paid work, will be worse off, despite today’s announcements"

Gingerbread, the charity for Single-Parents, quote: "These cuts will really hit families with young children hard"

Catch-22, the national charity which provides help for vulnerable young people, quote: 'the Government seems to have ignored some of the most vulnerable young people... The poorest, those leaving care and those from chaotic backgrounds – will now face having their help cut off just when they need it the most.

There are hundreds more examples of impartial organisations condeming you ConDems.

So are you still proud? You should all be ashamed.

These are the wrong cuts, done at the wrong time, in the wrong way.

These right-wing, viscous and duplicitous local Lib Dems can fool themselves but they can't fool Sheffield.

They have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and nobody to blame.

They are out of ideas, out of excuses, and out on their ear at the next election.  

* NB: At this point, no Sheffield Lib Dems indicated that they were proud of their party or its budget... At least I don't think so - there was quite a lot of shouting by this stage!