The Tory-Lib Dem government has a "duty" to drastically cut some services that people "genuinely value", according to Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr Cameron (pictured), in an article written for readers of the Sunday Times newspaper, said the UK is like a badly performing company and the new coalition government is akin to a new set of owners trying to turn it into a profitable entity.

Ministers are scheduled to finalise massive public service cuts, some resulting in as much as 40% being slashed from departmental budgets, which the government wants to push through in time for October's spending review.

The prime minister wrote: "Even with reform, the truth is there will be some things that we genuinely value that will have to go because of the legacy we have been left. I don't like that any more than anyone else but this is the reality of the situation we're in and it's the duty of this government to face up to it.

"If we do all this, if we cut the obvious waste, attack the ingrained waste, stop doing things that don't add value, if we are realistic about the things we can no longer afford and creative about raising revenue, we'll be able to prioritise the things we really care about.

"Of course I can't promise to put a ring of steel around every service and every job. But by taking a methodical approach to stripping away every pound of spending that doesn't add much value, this spending review can help us minimise the impact of the cuts."

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