Lynne Featherstone

Budget Day. I really don't know why we, the media and all, get in the slightest bit excited. It was even more turgid than usual and relatively little is changing. There are no miracles - and indeed in this Darling budget there is absolutely no attempt to really tackle the big issues such as the widening equality gap.

We have one of the biggest equality gaps in the Western world - but the countries that do best have the least gap between their richest and their poorest (for more on why this is the case, read my previous speech on the subject).

So I had hoped that if the Labour under Brown's administration had any real sense of purpose or vision for improving our country they might have looked at that problem and addressed it in the budget - but no. A few headlines to make up for failing on their child poverty promises - a few taxes dressed up in skimpy green clothing (whilst still saying yes to Heathrow expansion) - and Bob's your uncle!