government adviser I spoke to about this was in despair. Fortunately, it turns out not to be quite as bad as those who latched on to the findings without examining the detail would have us believe. The question was actually not about public spending in general but specifically on whether the Government should spend less on health, education and social benefits, thus failing to elucidate overall attitudes. The first two areas are where the public are most supportive of the status quo; given that the NHS and state schools are the only viable alternatives for most people, and the question didn't allow for the possibility of efficiency gains, this is hardly surprising. Other polls have shown that large chunks of the public would back tax and spending cuts in other areas. The reality is that voters are moving to the right economically but remain in a state of ideological flux. They still love the NHS but everything else is up for grabs. This ought therefore to be an ideal time for the Coalition to lead and shape the debate. Given the public's embrace of tough love on welfare, it ought to be easier to make a more general case for free markets, smaller government and lower taxes. Its inability so far to do so coherently and convincingly, given how receptive voters have become, is this Government's most unforgivable failure. The answer is not for George Osborne to give up on spending cuts in his Autumn Statement. Instead, he should focus