"18 times more than a standard refurbishment would cost in the private sector"

Yet more proof that this Labour government are wasting money left right and centre and have no idea how to keep to a budget comes in this news that (my emphasis):

"The Ministry of Justice has been accused of wasting a "colossal" amount of taxpayers' money after spending more than £130 million refurbishing an old office block for its new headquarters.... Opposition politicians and union leaders have expressed astonishment at the cost of the project to create a new home for Justice Secretary Jack Straw and his staff.

The remodelling of the concrete tower block, next to St James' Park in London, cost £915 a square foot to complete – around 18 times more than a standard refurbishment would cost in the private sector.

In addition to the refurbishment costs, £2,745,000 was lavished on new furniture and fittings for the offices and £290,000 was spent on artwork."

18 times more than the same work would have cost in the private sector; now do you see where cost savings could be made in the public sector? Not that that will prevent Gordon Brown from shouting "Tory Cuts" at every opportunity; shouting that will be happily spread by the Labour party's private broadcaster, the BBC.