[user104658]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

IDS was just Osborne's messenger boy. What ever made him quit, I respect him for saying Osborne was pushing a step too far.

Indeed. I don't believe for a second that IDS is taking some sort of moral stand here because he feels like the cuts are actually too harsh, I don't believe he cares about that, however, I also don't believe that many (if any) of what has been put in place has come from him in the first place... he's always just been middle management, passing down exactly what he's been told to pass down. I think this is more a case of him not wanting to take the considerable flak for this latest round. They almost certainly are Osbourne's doing. IDS is basically saying "The heat coming at me for this is too much to take the fall for it this time" - a sentiment which will be fuelled by feeling like he's on a different "team" now in many ways, with all of the EU stuff...

...I am pretty surprised that he went so far as to admit that huge amounts of these cuts are to make a political point rather than having anything to do with the economy, though. From such a high profile public figure as IDS, that is an absolutely massive kick in the balls for the current government.