Watch what they do, not what they say.

Last Wednesday the Bank of England cut the bank rate by 0.5% and Gordon Brown and Darling called on lenders to pass the rate cut on to borrowers.

Halifax, Woolwich, Lloyds TSB and Cheltenham & Gloucester all cut their Standard Variable Rate by the full 0.5% to 6.5%

What has Gordon Brown's Northern Rock done? Cut their Standard Variable Rate by a measly 0.19% to 7.34%. Almost a full percentage point higher than other lenders.

This will mostly affect those borrowers who are stuck with Northern Rock in negative equity, on the Standard Variable Rate and unable to remortgage away from them.

This government is all about putting out the right message and very rarely actually delivering.