1232, PH: Darling’s started. Stripey tie and gloomy face…
1233, JGF: Darling looks nervous and uncomfortable. His tone is sombre.
1235, PH: Darling expects the economy to start growing “by the end of this year”.
1236, PH: Darling’s giving the global spiel, letting us know how much exports have fallen in Germany and Japan…
1237, PH: He claims that the £20 billion of “help” announced in the PBR is “coming through now”. The Tories’ “Labour isn’t working” attack denies that.
1238, PH: Now Darling’s taking credit for the “independent” Bank of England’s interest rate cuts – “cheaper mortgages and loans”.
1239, PH: On the G20 summit: “We agreed to take whatever action is necessary…” Most annoying soundbite of the year?
1240, JGF: Expect Darling to regularly cherry-pick numbers to suggest that other developed economies are worse off than we are.
1240, FN: “In all these decisions, we have been guided by our core values” – yes, this – alas – has been the problem.
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