Policy experts and commentators from the churches and Christian organisations have criticised the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government for a budget which hits the most vulnerable hardest.

The Government's emergency budget will have taken a gigantic £40 billion out of the economy by 2014-15 at a time when the recovery is fragile, and cuts will hit those with fewest resources hardest, say critics.

Campaigners have said that the Chancellor's bank tax is 'disappointing' and that the budget is 'taking from the poor to give to the rich'.