Philip Johnston in The Daily Telegraph called it "the granddaddy of all blunders" and "an astonishing, almost grotesque failure". In his blog for the New Statesman, political editor Martin Bright said it was "the largest-scale act of incompetence perpetrated under this government, possibly any government". He added: "It is an insult to Britain's 'hard-working families', so beloved of New Labour, that the HM Revenue & Customs information was not treated with more respect."
But The Times' Alice Miles may just have clinched it with: "Idiots. Utter, unbelievable, jaw-dropping, unpardonable idiots. It is beyond farce, past comprehension, criminally irresponsible and beneath contempt." Meanwhile, The Guardian's political sketch writer Simon Hoggart sharpened his pen to report on Chancellor Alistair Darling's statement to Parliament and shadow chancellor George Osborne's response. Hoggart observes: "This wasn't just shooting fish in a barrel - it was harpooning a porpoise that's got into your bath."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
