Prime Minister David Cameron has warned of "difficult decisions" on pay, pensions and benefits as he set out the case for "painful" cuts ahead.
He said dealing with the deficit would be "unavoidably tough" and affect "our whole way of life".
He said he would not cut the deficit "in a way that hurts those we most need to help" or "that divides the country".
Shadow chancellor Alistair Darling said Mr Cameron was talking "nonsense" and did not understand the need for growth.
Spending 'splurge'
The Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government has already outlined plans for £6.2bn cuts this financial year - and is preparing for a Budget on 22 June.
Mr Cameron started his speech by saying problems were "even worse than we thought" and blamed the last Labour government for the "debt crisis".
These early cuts aren't what Liberal Democrats voted for. Nevertheless, as long as Cameron is not cutting the NHS, the cuts will not affect me too much.
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