Chancellor Alistair Darling warns not to expect a "giveaway" when the Budget is delivered later this month.

A £16 billion package of "giveaway" measures is to be announced by Alistair Darling in a gamble to "get the economy moving forward."

Minute-by-minute coverage of Alistair Darling's statement and the Commons debate 12.58pm: Borrowing will be £175bn this year, 12% of GDP. 12.57pm: This budget will represent an easing (ie a giveaway) equivalent to 0.5% of GDP this year. But from next year, until 2013-2014, there will be a tightening (ie more taxes) of 0.85%. 12.56pm: Around the world, debt and deficit levels are rising ...

The Treasury was last night seeking to dampen speculation of a huge tax giveaway next week after the latest official figures showed that Alistair Darling will deliver his pre-budget report against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating public finances. In the wake of the first October deficit in 14 years, officials dismissed suggestions that the chancellor could announce a £30bn package - w...

Alistair Darling has warned that there would be no pre-election give-away in the Budget.

The chancellor Alistair Darling has told Cabinet colleagues not to expect more cash for the public sector.

Nick Robinson in Newslog: Chancellor in distress Benedict Brogan in Telegraph Blogs: Alistair Darling on the brink Labour List: “It’s Gordon’s call whether I stay or go” Alex Barker in Westminster blog: Brown: Darling has been an excellent chancellor Downing...

THE head of a renewables group will today call on Chancellor Alistair Darling to hand over £174 million of unspent money for Scottish green energy projects.

Plans by Alistair Darling the Chancellor to spend his way out of the recession facing Britain have been branded "misguided" by 16 leading economists.

Prime Minister says he would never instruct anybody to do anything other than support the Chancellor, Alistair Darling.