Just how much do we have to pay, Mr Darling?

After the events of the past week, the Pre-Budget Report seems more than only six days old.  But six days old it is, and already Alistair Darling is suggesting that the much-vaunted “fiscal stimulus” may need to be supplemented in the near-future.  In his interview in today’s Observer, the Chancellor admits that “we’re almost certainly going to be doing additional things”. 

Of course, you could say that this isn’t a surprise; that the Government has to respond continuously to the changing circumstances of the downturn.  But, to my mind, this just raises more questions about how effective the Government’s spendthrift approach is, and whether it’s worth the increased borrowing and increased taxation that lie in wait for us.  And what, now, of those borrowing figures?  They’re already high enough, but – given Darling’s optimistic forecasts and the potential for spending on top of spending on top of spending – they could go stratospheric.