Hidden away towards the back of the Autumn Statement was the section on “Reducing the cost of politics”, which consists of a modest 19% reduction in Short money allocations. This means the taxpayer-funded wedge to which opposition parties are entitled will be cut by millions. Good news for the taxpayer, bad news for the already massively in debt Labour Party.

Below is the sum each party was previously due to receive in each year of this parliament. In brackets is what a 19% cut would potentially look like:

Labour: £6.2 million (£1,178,000 CUT)

SNP: £1.2 million (£228,000 CUT)

UKIP: £650,000 (£123,500 CUT)

LibDems:  £540,000 (£102,600 CUT)

Greens: £212,000 (£40,280 CUT)

A handy benefit of being a Chancellor with an eye on the next election is you can severely wound your opponents where it hurts: in the pocket…