Brown claims black is white, says Cameron

London: David Cameron on Monday launched a blistering personal attack on the prime minister, claiming there was a "thread of dishonesty" running through his premiership.

The Conservative leader stopped short of calling Gordon Brown a liar but claimed the prime minister said "black is white" and his government had "lost touch with morality."

He described the apparent postponement of the next government spending review as an attempt to "cover up the truth about Labour's cuts".

He said the move was part of the government's "pattern of deception" in the row over future spending on public services.

Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, indicated yesterday the government would not set out new public spending plans before the next general election, arguing it was impossible to forecast the economy two years ahead.

But speaking at a Westminster press conference yesterday Cameron said it had nothing to do with economic uncertainty and everything to do with political manoeuvring.

"There is now a huge amount of deceit about the government's spending plans ... I believe there is a thread of dishonesty running through this premiership... We've had his insistence that Alistair Darling is his first choice as chancellor. We all know that wasn't true."

He added: "At the end of the day the truth will out. The prime minister is calculating the public are too stupid to notice it. I have much more respect for the public than that."

Asked whether he was prepared to go into the next election with the Conservative party proposing public spending cuts while the government pledged to increase spending, he replied: "I don't care what the government does any more... I have lost faith in a prime minister who stands up and says black is white..."

Pressed further about Brown's claims a Conservative government would cut spending, Cameron referred to tactics he claimed were being used in the upcoming Norwich North by-election.

"When you see the leaflets they have put out I don't know how the prime minister gets out of bed in the morning," he said.

"At the end of a government like this I think they have lost not only touch with the public but all sense of morality..."

Asked directly whether he thought Brown was a liar, he said he had chosen his words carefully, but he added: "I have said there is a thread of dishonesty running through the government.."