Who do you think you are kidding?...Mr Darling

You couldn't make it up!

Here we are in the mother and father of all recessions. The country is bankrupt and billions of pounds in debt, you'd think that the government would be worried and would be taking steps to reduce the debt so that we don't become a bankrupt state.

No, Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling continue fiddling while Britain burns. There is no attempt to reduce government spending other than some vague mention of efficiency savings. There is no attempt to raise more money from taxes. Yes, we see some increases in excise duties, and yes we see a new top rate tax of 50% for high earners.

Except that those high earners have been given a year's notice, during which time they can rearrange their finances. Chances are a good number will leave the country thus reducing the tax take when the time comes. The new higher rate isn't scheduled to come in until after the next election.

You would have thought that given the crisis we have, and according to Alistair Darling it's the worst in 60 years, that putting the finances on an even keel would be a priority. So why not introduce the higher rate tax charge now?

Could it be that it's nothing to do with the government finances and everything to do with partisan politics? Yes, setting a trap and inviting the Conservatives to repudiate the tax opening them to charges of aiding and abetting the rich.

Great! Class warfare at its best. The politics of envy lives on in New Labour.

Frankly this Labour government have completely lost the plot. It's time for them to have the courage of their convictions or get out of office and allow a new government to come in and sort out the mess, as we have in the past and as we will in the future