The Budget expectations are lowered for now

A “tired – almost exhausted” Gordon Brown has given an interview to The  Independent.  These are the key bits:

Nobody is going to get into the business of forecasts or projections

He has no idea when the recession will end.

It is not just what we do to give real help now, but about setting a path for the future as well. We always take into account what we need and what is best future for the fiscal position.

No 2nd fiscal stimulus but there will be a few tactical surprises to wrong foot the Tories.

We have been brought down by a global banking crisis.

No apology now or in the future for the mistakes he made.  He will not give up hope that this blame shifting statement sticks.

And finally, on his prospects for winning the election.

That is up to the voters.  I will keep doing what is the right thing.

He doesn't have much confidence that the the polls can be turned around.

There is much about electric cars, the “green” future and 400,000 jobs in “green industries”.  The spin about electric cars can be dismissed for any immediate impact.

How Brown loves all this, changing the narrative and rising and then lowering expectations.  Don’t get taken in, there will be jaw dropping headlines in the budget, and they won’t be just about the dreadful state of the nation’s finances.