The Pre Budget Report speech by the Chancellor provided a fascinating insight into the direction Labour believe the UK should take to cope with the current economic crisis.  As ever, the detail contained in the Green Book contains even more interesting detail and only today are we learning the true consequence of Mr. Darling’s announcements.

The headlines from the speech were that the richest would pay more to help the poorest but today we learn that hard working people on as little as £19,000 per annum will lose out in National Insurance payments to balance the Governments books.  We are also able to assess the industries that will be hardest hit by changes to business taxations - with the Scotch Whisky industry hardest hit by increases to duty.

So, the next time a politician stands up in the House of Commons to make a statement on the economy remember “The Devil Is Always In The Detail”.