Last night I sat down to watch a couple of my favourite TV programmes. Spooks, A fictional MI5 drama was all about the fact that if the Government couldn’t sieze assets of around £2 bn from an unscrupulous bank, then the country would be bankrupt and unable to pay public sector workers.

This scenario then seemed to morph into the news where I was confronted with Alastair Darling the Chancellor informing the country that we were in a worse mess than he had thought but he had a plan that involved bingo and boilers!

I have to tell you “Spooks” was more believable. Alastair Darling looked like a rejected pilot episode of “Yes Minister”.

I doubt there is anyone left in this country who does not know the nations finances are in a mess, that tough action is needed. Yet we saw a Chancellor trying desperately to offer nuggets of comfort, little tasty morsels to see us through a miserable winter.

He promised to protect Health and Education from cuts and offered increases in some benefits for next year – but what about the following years, after the General Election?

He wanted to sound tough but caring, to be seen to be strong in getting us out of the mess. But in trying to please everyone – public, electors, trade unions,business, foreign investors – he probably failed to please anyone.

More especially he ultimately looked less able to cope with the overall situation and more like someone who had been told only that morning. “Look this our last chance to save Labour at the next General Election”, and had realised that Labour and he had nothing left to offer the British People other than cheaper Bingo and new boilers.

The great socialist party of the 20th century has been reduced to a group of street traders touting for business offering great value bargains for goods nobody wants anymore.

We needed leadership, confidence and strength. We got Trotters Enterprises.

Bargain basement bankrupt stock. It about sums up our Labour Government.