"The former would cost £7.4 billion."

Is utter nonsense!

That would be if every Tax payer continued to have the lower rate at 10% without some claw back at the Upper end for Higher rate Tax payers at 20% or more.

Frank Field has already mentioned the real figure at around £0.75 billion.

M. Sheridan, Oldham, UK

Mr Brown should look at who's been advising him on Health Education and Housing and refresh the TEAM.He should also listen to front line MPs/ Councillors they know better than all these so called experts in the various departments who have a vested interest in paying lip service to the PM.Wake Up.

Mary E Hoult, Leeds, Yorkshire

Mr Brown is self-situated between a rock and a hard place. Having blown treasury funds, bailed out the banks, sold the gold and swiped the pensions, he has, as you say Peter, little room to manoeuvre. That he will now counsel those who have overcommitted personal credit - is excruciatingly laughable

Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts

Apparently Mr Brown cannot correct the 10p disaster because "it would cost too much".

Well here is a simple answer - reverse the 2p tax reduction to 20p tax band. This was only an election stunt anyway.

Martin, Brighouse, UK

Every billion pounds Brown spends, every tax payer pays £33.50 to fund Brownes spending. Work out how long it takes you to earn £33.50 after tax and thats the number of extra hours you must work for nothing. The Olympics is costing £9.5 billion, that means you pay £318.25, how many days pay is that?

Paul, Lincoln, England

"Mr Brown`s reputation for fiscal prudence" Ha, Ha, Ha,Ha, Ha, Ha. I needed a good laugh today. Thanks.

Jim, Herts,

Gordon Brown has no options left. He is now faced with his MSPs leader in Scotland challenging the SNP to hold a referendum and trying to brand Alex Salmond a coward for not doing so! How about the EU referendum Gordon? To regain confidence he has to backtrack on all he has done so far. Out now!

JohnM, Perth, Scotland

Gordon Brown has no options I would say.

In May 2007 the SNP cleared New Labour out in Scotland and now the Tories have cleared them out in England and Wales.

The people North and South of the border have spoken, and spoken clearly about what they think of McBroon and his government.

W Hutchison, Luss, Scotland

Nonsense. Brown has plenty of options.
1. scrap ID cards.
2. call EU referendum
3. scrap, not double, 10p tax rate
4. stop bailing out bankers
5. scrap target culture
6. tackle feral youths
7. control immigration properly
8. scrap quangos and un-necessary bureaucracy
9. end Iraq war
10. cut taxes.

Ken Hall, Barrow in Furness, UK

What amazes me is that commentators are surprised by what is happening to this shambles of a government. The Blair spin and charisma took them all in. New Labour was incompetent from the start and never changed. This bunch of lawyers and student activists were incapable of running anything.

Robert, Worcester, UK

old etonians... go back further, the abolishment of the grammar schools by the labour party - consequence, the privately educated now dominate the political landscape of both main parties - the comprehensive system has failed.
The UK has problems - but these have been exposed only by global crisis

Charles Bosomworth, Penrith, UK

Edward in Perth

You do realise how healthy our budget surplus was in 1979 dont you?

You do realise that the current government has raised taxes hugely and borrowed far more than is sensible, all for no real benefit.

nu labour - old labour - no difference.

Brown and co are finished.

Richard, Essex, UK

Browns so called fiascal abilities are all down to the fact that in the last 20/30 years Britain has had oil/gas revenues in the billions and billions of pounds. A monkey could have run an economy with all that cash coming in. Why didn't the 'brilliant chancellor' now PM SAVE some cash - waster!

Charlie Stone, Bury , England

Its about time the mess is pointed out! Why do you let Brown get away with his deepening black hole, present since his first budget as the tax take and PSBR have never been accurately forecast, and always under and over respectively.Brown knew he was taxing the poor! Mistakes? Its the economy stupid

Danny, Manchester,

Brown has had eleven years to get it right. What makes him believe he can do better the second time around.Not only is the term "its the economy - stupid" apt: but the term "keep it simple- stupid" Brown is stupid, he has failed economically and lumbered the populace with debt and PFIs. STUPID

M. Butcher, W-s-M, England

There's also a lot that IS within the governements control. A few humgdingers they could rectify are:
1) Abolish the waste of time HIPs and help the housing market
2) Repeal article 2 of the Human Rights Act so that we can deport undesirables.
3)Shelve the punitive vehicle excise tax due next year.

Brian Roberts , Plymouth, Devon

The UK is bust, after 25 of missmanagement by clowns of both parties. All the kings horses and all the kings men, could'nt put the UK together again.
The latest two old Etonians will get their noses into the taxpayer funded trough, and that will be the extent of changing the guard. Sad Eh ?

Edward Kelly, Perth.,