String driven thing

So Alistair Darling has presented his first – and if most pundits are to be believed, last – budget. He has a style of oratory that makes you hanker for the – by comparison – slapstick hilarity of John Major. And the words he uttered were not even his, they belonged to the puppetmaster sitting a few feet behind him.

The budget has been dissected across the media, and shown up for what it is, but the utter ridiculousness of most of what he said and the consistent attack on middle England was there for all to see. At a time the public are crying out for action to be taken on the alcohol-fuelled violence which has render towns and cities across the country no-go areas, what does Darling do? He ups the tax on spirits and wine. And the one things he doesn’t hit? Cider, the drinks of choice of the yob.