"Thus the memorable political conflict of this week was not over that contraction in GDP, which should have registered as devastating proof that the government's economic strategy is not working. It was over plans to cap benefits at £26,000. The timing may have been a function of the House of Lords' timetable, but the strategy of the cap itself is clear. Rather than training its guns on the masters of high finance who caused the crash and had to be bailed out with billions in taxpayers' cash – the scroungers at the top – the government is channelling our rage towards those on benefits, the "scroungers" at the bottom. If it hadn't been for Stephen Hester and that pesky £1m bonus, it would have been a great success." - M F