Quelle Surprise ?

There have been gasps of amazement and anguish on the back of the figures announced by Alistair Darling in today's Budget. I just don't understand why everyone's so surprised.

Surely everyone knew that we're absolutely broke ? Yes, the sum of £175bn will be ft repeated by the Opposition this summer as a reminder of Darling's Debt, but why is everyone so taken aback by the fact that we're in ruin ?

As sure as night follows day, it is blindingly obvious that:

• Every Labour government increases debt
• Every Labour government increases unemployment
• Every Labour government increases taxes
• And yet, every Labour government still runs out of money.

It is true that this budget is dreadful. We are fundamentally bust, and the government is doing nothing to help. Don't be fooled by assertions that public expenditure will be cut. Cutting spending is not something that socialist governments do. They try to look as if they're cutting it, but be assured that they'll carry on spending. "Efficiency savings" is code for "savings we don't actually intend to make".

Instead, they'll do what socialists always do at times like this; take it out on the better off. Fifty per cent tax rates (remember the 1997 Labour election poster "Income Tax rates will not rise" ?) and the abolition of personal allowances are just the start. Worse, much worse, will follow.

And when it does follow, we shouldn't be surprised.