“The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.” - Cicero in 55 BC

Not a bad recommendation to G.Brown - massive debts must be reduced, not least to reduce future borrowing costs, the arrogance of state spenders who think that they know best how to spend money must be checked, (dead) money to the EU must be reduced or removed, people must be encouraged off benefits and into work. That would go a long way to tackling our problems.