Gordon Brown eyes election largesse as Darling wants deficit reined in

Despite reining in banker bonuses, Britain’s economic black-eye is now turning yellow and purple. Chancellor Alistair Darling has wanted even tighter spending and tax plans to salve the stubborn $290 billion budget deficit. But Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is as unpopular among the public as bankers currently are, is worried about the upcoming election, so he wants existing promises to lift public spending by $49 billion kept in place. The Tory opposition is having a field day on this one, as government is compelled by law to halve the deficit within four years. The infighting at the top has left the Labour government as being seen as less than transparent on the issue, so maybe by election time the public will have had enough. That would quell the high-pitched crowing noises emanating from the Tory backbenches. Read more: BBC