Brendan Barber has a good article on the Guardian web site. As he says:

This week's budget will show whether ministers grasp a distinct change in the nation's mood. For the last decade or so there has been little or no discussion of tax. It's mainly caused difficulties for the Conservatives as their realists try to persuade the traditionalists that voters neither want nor believe promises of tax cuts when public services suffer.

But the debate has changed. It is no longer between tax cutters and the rest, but about whether the tax burden falls fairly.

His summary is:

Alistair Darling has a pretty straightforward choice between poor children and the super-rich on Wednesday. It doesn't seem that hard to me.

Some will say this simplistic.

I say it's addressing the issue.

I just wish I could believe he'd make the right choice.