Sentence of the Week

Over in Spain, they're putting the finishing touches on their annual budget. The write up in El Pais contains this gem:

Despite putting the austerity drive into fifth gear, overall spending is due rise 9.2 percent as a result of higher interest rates on public debt and Social Security system outlays, largely a result of unemployment benefits, with a quarter of the working population out of a job.

Umm, it's not austerity if the budget is increasing by nearly 10% and it's certainly not "austerity drive in fifth gear".