There’s no money – good luck!

I don't expect much from the Labour Party, but given the dire straights that they've left the country in some contrition might be nice. Not a bit of it. This is the message left by Liam Byrne for his successor at the Treasury.

“Dear Chief Secretary, I’m afraid there is no money. Kind regards — and good luck! Liam.”

And as if that wasn't enough, Alistair Darling has the gall to criticise the new Government for laying the blame for the parlous state of the finances at Labour's door.

Mr Darling, who is stepping down from Labour’s front bench, added: "The Conservatives and Liberals are playing the oldest trick in the book. What do you do when you are a new government? You blame your predecessors. It is straight out of Yes Minister. It looks like they are going to have to put taxes up, they want to make pretty heavy cuts in public expenditure and they are naturally looking to blame someone else."

And they don't have to look very far, do they Alistair? When Labour came to power the UK was in the black. After thirteen years of your stewardship we're perilously close to bankruptcy. Spin it however you like, those are the facts.