Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been hailed in some quarters as the most successful chancellor of modern times. Downing Street and the rest of the government are acknowledged as masters of spin. Why has Brown been exempt from being tarred with the same brush and his dour, lengthy and statistic filled utterings not exposed as the spin they really are.

He inherited a thoroughly good economic situation which he left largely alone for two years. Since then by shifting goals, by removing spending into public private partnerships and by the clever using of statistical mirrors he has been able to maintain a sense of good management. In reality the economy has been on a steady downhill track with large deficits looming in the not too distant future.

Will Tony Blair rescue Brown's reputation by resigning in time for the next chancellor to be blamed for the inevitable mess the economy is heading for?