I do not think it eccentric to use a question on unemployment to talk about a European measure that would destroy jobs; it is directly relevant to unemployment. If the right hon. Gentleman does not understand the connection, that is perhaps part of the problem that the City of London faces. How many jobs is it acceptable to destroy as the price of his going with the flow in Europe?

Mr. Monti is still drawing his salary two months after being fired from his job. The 10,000 people who will lose their jobs thanks to the tax will not be so lucky. The next time Mr. Monti swaggers into London to lecture Britons and to threaten them with higher Euro stealth taxes, why cannot the Chancellor just tell him to get lost?