Brown has just twice refused a Sky News interviewers invitation to refer to Alastair Darling’s status in the future tense. Benedict Brogan senses the ground beneath Darling’s feet turning to quicksand.  Is this it, Balls and Brown hunkering down in the bunker for the last stand of the remaining members of Team GB?

Will Darling be this bunker’s Claus Von Stauffenberg?  He appears to be being set-up to be the fall guy for Brown over the economy.