*In 2009-10 the British government is forecast to spend £4 for every £3 that it receives
*Spending will be more than 48 per cent of GDP
*Tax revenues will be 36 per cent of GDP
*The gap is the budget deficit - forecast at 12% of GDP
*For taxes to rise by 5% of GDP the government would have to raise the basic rate of income tax by 12% (it is currently at 20%)
Source: Martin Wolf, Financial Times, June 2009
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