Leader: Autumn Budget Statement decisions are tough but needed

Whatever your political colour of choice, you have to admire Chancellor George Osborne for sticking to his guns.

This afternoon he attempted to deliver a morale-boosting autumn budget statement with, essentially, one hand tied behind his back.

He is, quite rightly, holding his nerve as Europe's economies crumble around him, and not being tempted to veer from the tough recovery strategy which everyone knows will be painful.

Now, more than ever, Britain must be a country which does not live beyond its means, or spend more than it earns.

At the same time, though, Mr Osborne recognised the pressures on household budgets, and the widely expected scrapping of the 3p rise in tax on petrol and diesel will be particularly welcomed in a rural county such as Shropshire.

The coalition may not be getting everything right at present, but there is no disputing their tough decisions are being taken for the right reasons.

And it is rich for the shadow chancellor and his Labour colleagues to respond to today's statement by crowing about the UK's current economic plight, when it was they who led us into it in the first place.

Everyone agrees we are in for a rocky few years as the SS Great Britain seeks to steer the clear of a double-dip recession.

The real question, now, is whether the coalition will be given enough time to see their plans through.

If the electorate decide the pain is too much to bear, and vote the Tories and LibDems out before the job is done, there is a real risk this could all have been for nothing.