Sajid Javid finally opened the purse strings yesterday after years of Tory cuts.
There was more money for the police, health and education in what amounted to a shameless pre-election bribe.
While the additional spending is long overdue, the Chancellor deserves no gratitude.
The funding in the Spending Review fails to compensate for cuts over the past nine years.
This was the equivalent of someone taking £500 out of your bank account and expecting you to be thankful they’ve put £300 back in.
Local government is getting a 2.7% increase but has seen its budget cut by 37% since 2010, while the extra £200million for buses is less than a third of the £645million cut.
In the case of the extra money for social care it will be paid for by a stealth rise in council tax bills, putting the greatest burden on low and middle income households.
Overall public spending will still be 3% down on what it was before the Tories came to power. They are taking people for fools by claiming this marks an end to austerity.
Boris is a bust
Boris Johnson was elected leader by a Conservative Party in denial about his obvious shortcomings.
Now, they are paying the price. The PM has split his party, suffered a string of humiliating defeats and seen his Brexit plans scuppered.
Faced with the challenges of Government, all he has is waffle and bluster. Instead of leadership, he resorts to bullying.
Given the damage a no-deal Brexit would cause, Labour is right to make sure that outcome is averted before agreeing to an election. This is not running scared but putting the interests of the country first.
The PM’s only concern is his own survival in a job for which he has proved unsuited.
Hol lot of luck
What odds when a tourist on a stranded plane turned out to be an off-duty pilot?
Hopefully, Michael Bradley will get to relax on the return flight from Spain.
