Wren

Eeh, the only bright spot on a typical day back in the office (and if you haven't seen it, my pic from Sunday from a walking weekend in the Trossachs is, I reckon, my best in absolutely ages - and looking at it again just reminds me how blinkin' awful it is being back behind this desk (had yesterday off as well y'see)).

Can't be bothered with neat and intelligent segways into a bit of a rant, instead I really just have to ask, where in god's name is the money coming from? Of what do I speak? Well neighbourly aid is very very admirable, let's get that straight right from the beginning. And I'd rather not see Ireland float off into economic despair. But.

We are, quite rightly, part of the European package to help out to the tune of ?70Bn (about £15k per person in Ireland apparently, I've not done the maths myself). But now, on top of that, Chancellor Gideon and his chums have pledged an extra £8Bn from the UK coffers as a 'loan'. There may, in future, be conditions attached to this to help out our own economic situation. It may guarantee future trade with our nearest neighbour when they get back on their feet. But, and I have to reiterate this, where in god's name is the money coming from?

Cut cut cut. Slash slash slash. Belt tighten belt tighten belt tighten. We've just recently had the big spending review which showed the important things which must stay and so won't have to suffer (bank bonuses to retain the 'talent'; trident; etc etc) and the unimportant things which can be scaled back (laws on animal welfare; salaries in the public sector; livelihoods and Lib Dem consciences). Throughout it all we've been told time and again how we're 'all in this together' (the type of statement that really can only be made by someone not in 'it' whatsoever) and that, by some miracle magic, jobs will appear in the private sector so those losing them in the public sector won't be left unemployed. Spending is going left, right and centre, to be replaced by austerity. An economic watermark that must not be exceeded has been drawn around the bath of governmental finance. We. Are. All. In. This. Together. It's hard I know, but we must all do our bit. Oh, and buy lots of things for Christmas, it'll help the economy.

Then suddenly. From up his sleeve or something. Gideon pulls out... Eight. Billion. Pounds. Maybe his trust fund matured.

A Tory minister on Radio 4 yesterday stated that this was evidence and proof that the Tory spending measures were working, that the UK being able to afford this showed that the UK had ridden out the economic storm. If that's the case why are we still cutting back? Hmmmm? But then, as well as being 'all in it together' the Tories have also told us that 'we never had it so good' with one rich toff, whose name I can't even be bothered to Google, declaring that this was the same as in 1997, and he can't remember being short of money then. And when I call him 'toff' this is a bona fide land-owning member of the gentry. So forgive me for not believing a word you have to say on the realities of financial crisis.