Tory members want spending cuts from George Osborne, not tax rises, to close the deficit

We put twenty deficit reducing measures to the Tory grassroots; thirteen spending cuts and seven revenue raisers.

The answers prove yet again that Conservative members want spending restraint rather than tax hikes to close Gordon Brown's borrowing.

The thirteen most popular deficit closing measures are all spending cuts and the bottom seven deficit closing measures are all tax rises or other revenue raisers.

A very clear message to George Osborne.

1. Suspend all government advertising unless it is emergency information: 84%
2. A 20% cut in the budget of all quangoes: 83%
3. A freeze in Britain’s financial contribution to the European Union: 82%
4. Reduction in the subsidy to Scotland: 76%
5. Cease final salary pensions for new public sector workers: 75%
6. A 5% temporary cut in the pay of government ministers: 73%
7. A recruitment freeze throughout the public sector: 71%
8. Freeze public sector salaries above £30,000 for at least one year: 66%
9. Privatisation of Channel 4: 64%
10. A temporary freeze in all public sector salaries: 60%
11. 10% across-the-board spending cuts in every Whitehall department: 57%
12. Stop further expansion of universities: 57%
13. The abolition of Sure Start: 51%
14. A temporary increase in VAT to 20%: 29%
15. A temporary increase in income tax for people earning more than £150,000: 28%
16. Restore museum charges: 21%
17. The introduction of road tolls: 19%
18. Higher tuition fees for students: 18%
19. Privatisation of all major roads: 12%
20. A tax on all properties with a value of £1m or more: 9%