But no-one's said there isn't pain coming. Who's arguing otherwise? That was what was patronising - suggesting we're all children who think we can avoid the pain. The difference is in left-of centre parties who want raise taxes in largely progressive ways where the poor pay the least relatively, and a tory party who wanted to raise taxes regressively by raising VAT and cutting inheritance tax.

Besides, our finances are in no worse state than most other countries. In fact, our debt to GDP ration is actually rather good in comparison. Again, it's whether slash and burn in poor areas like the North East, Wales and Nothern Ireland (guess who?) or you share the pain equally.

And let's not go back to Thatcher. Let's judge them on who they are now.