Argument as to whether chancellor, George Osborne, should stick or twist with Plan A, attempt to reroute with Plan B, or in emergency, break out Plan 9 from outer space is strictly for the birds.

Some 52 leading academics and economists accused the Government of owning a ‘self-defeating, break-neck deficit-reduction plan, based largely on spending cuts'. Were they to be joined by the entire massed chorus of the IMF, OECD, OBR, Jimmy Shand and his Band and the Gillingham girl pipers, the solid fiscal rock that is HM Treasury would remain impassive.