Osborne: Difficult decisions will protect NHS

Chancellor George Osborne insists the "difficult decisions" he has made will protect the NHS after delivering his final pre-election Budget yesterday.

Responding to fears about the potential effect spending cuts could have on the health service, the Chancellor told Good Morning Britain: "By taking difficult decisions we are able to protect vital services like the NHS."

Mr Osborne added: "If you don't have a strong economy, you cannot have a strong National Health Service."

The Chancellor said he would have "more" to say about childcare in the coming weeks following accusations he had ignored the issue in yesterday's statement.

He reiterated his message that voters faced a choice at the upcoming election between what he called the "chaos" of Labour or a Conservative plan that is "delivering".