Pre-budget Report Special Feature

The economic meltdown and state of the world's finances has given today's pre-budget report an importance not seen for decades. So will the plans fix the mess we're in. Will it get people spending? Do we even want people to be spending? Do the measures go far enough? Will they give people a favourable view of the Government.

Find out the answers to all these questions in our Pre-budget Report special. Our top team will be following all the news and updating these debates throughout Monday and beyond. Other sites are dominated by one political view or the other. Debatewise is the only place you'll get both sides equally represented which allows you to make up your own mind.

The debates

• The pre-budget report - pros and cons of all the proposals at a glance
  Want to know whether the pre-budget report is good or bad? Here's our quick and easy guide which details each measure and its pros and cons.
  
  
• Should the 'mini-budget' have been different?
  In the last hour Alistair Darling has unveiled his highly anticipated pre-budget report. Has he miscalculated the measures needed to get the economy back on track?
  
  
• The rescue package wont help the economy
  The chancellor has unveiled a range of measures designed to stimulate the economy and stop the downturn. The measures include a cut in the basic rate of VAT and tax breaks for poorer people. Will they work? Will they be enough to get us out of this mess or don't they go far enough?
  
  
• The reduction in VAT is a half-measure that wont work
  A 2.5% cut is miniscule. It is a saving of less than 20p for every ten pounds spent. And that's if the greedy shops even pass on the discount. This idea, the centrepiece of the rescue package will do nothing to help poorer families and will certainly not help stimulate the economy in any meaningful way.
  
  
• Has the bailout package made people feel more positive towards the Government?
  A few months ago Gordon Brown was dead man walking. Then he came up with a rescue package for the banks and suddenly everyone loves him again. Will this latest round of changes do him and the Government any good or do people blame him for getting us into this mess in the first place?
  
  
• Raising the top rate income tax to 45% is the right move
  Alistair Darling has announced a new top rate of tax for the highest earners, with those on more than £150k to be charged at 45p in the £1. This is right and just, those earning that much should contribute a little more.