THE Tories were accused of running out of people to blame after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed plans to slash tens of thousands of Civil Service jobs.

He told the Sunday Telegraph that he will unveil plans to crack down on bureaucracy in Wednesday’s Budget, claiming Whitehall spends too much money on “woke” initiatives.

Yesterday Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy said: “After 14 years in charge of our public services, this government is running out of people to blame for its economic record.

“The Chancellor’s vague references to waste in the Civil Service make clear this is just another vacuous attack on an imagined blob.

“Every time a government minister proposes cutting tens of thousands of civil servants, they fail to set out what it is they think government should stop doing.

“The government should use this week’s Budget to meet the public’s demand for improving our flagging public services — not irresponsible pre-election tax giveaways.”

The Chancellor yesterday ruled out borrowing for tax cuts, telling the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I do want, where it is possible to do so responsibly, to move towards a lower tax economy, and I hope to show a path in that direction.

“This will be a prudent and responsible Budget for long-term growth, tackling inflation, more investment, more jobs and that path to lower taxation as and when we can afford that.”

He also told Sky News the 2p cut to National Insurance in the Autumn Statement in November was a “turning point” and he hopes to “make some progress on that journey” on Wednesday.

The Office for Budget Responsibility reportedly told Mr Hunt last week that he has £12.8 billion of headroom to play with — £2bn less than the figure the Treasury is said to have previously been basing its calculations on.

No 10 and No 11 are now said to be weighing up if it is possible to administer such a cut or whether to reduce national insurance contributions further.

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones MP said: “No matter what the Chancellor does in the Budget this week, working people will be worse off thanks to 14 years of Tory failure.”

The SNP has warned Mr Hunt against “taking the axe to public services” at the Budget.

Plaid Cymru called for comprehensive tax reform to fund investment in public services and infrastructure.