Labour's Shadow Chancellor Alistair Darling responded to George Osborne's claims today that the government’s economic policy is 'fair' and 'progressive'.

"There's nothing 'pro-growth' about taking a huge gamble with the recovery - with people's jobs. And there's nothing 'fair' or 'progressive' about George Osborne's Budget hitting the poorest in our society hardest. He doesn't seem to understand that in government it's decisions, not warm words, that count."