I had a pre-budget run around the park on Tuesday night and saw a very sad sight. It was my mate Rex* the alsatian.

Poor bugger.

I remember years ago when he was a pup, trying to muscle his way into the park pack, but now look at him.

In fact he reminds me of the Government. They believed that the boom would last for ever and that bust had been abolished.

Rex probably believed that life would go on for ever, one eternal summer of ball, stick or rabbit chasing. But, like so many of his kind before, his back legs are shot and he’s now rolling round the park with his rear end supported by a couple of wheels.

He probably thinks he’s going to roll on forever, a bit like the Chancellor, perhaps.

Anyway, Rex came back to mind today when I was checking my post-Budget emails.

KPMG was first out of the traps, and they start by saying: ‘The Budget projections look like a triumph of hope over experience [just like Rex] … the Chancellor still expects the economy to rebound over the next two years’.

Again, just like old Rex, I expect.

I’ve mentioned before how the Government could learn from dogs. Darling, Brown and company could learn much from watching Rex running around the park. He looks really happy, ears flapping, tongue lolling.

Does he realise, as he runs about, with the dog owners all trying to avoid having their feet run over, that those wheels will come off one day and then it’s going to be one last slow drive down to the vet?

In my mind then, the Government is just like Rex. Running about, desperately still trying to keep things on an even keel, upsetting a few people – mainly all you lot who are going to be paying for this fiasco over the coming years – but not realising that the wheels are about to come off.

Actually, the more I think of it, old Rex doesn’t look so bad. I’m thinking of opening a book in the park as to who lasts longest, him or the Government.

Any takers?

* Names have been changed and I thought that I would avoid dog poo bag jokes based on KPMG’s comments about the Chancellor falling between two stools. Another time perhaps.

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