What’s this? Is Iain Duncan Smith visibly excited by prospect of hurting the poor?

The work and pensions secretary cheered on the new "living" wage, which turns out to be nothing of the sort.

(Photo By Iain Duncan Smith, in classier times. Photo: Rob Stothard/Getty Images)

What was the most galling part of the budget?

Cutting housing benefit for 18-21 year olds? Turning the university maintenance grant into a loan? Tax credit cuts that make sure children are suitably punished if their parents have large, low-income families? The complete absence of any climate change or green issues?

All good contenders, but this mole reckons this is the clear winner:

That’s right – it’s Iain Duncan Smith, cheering as George Osborne introduces what was disingenuously termed a “living” wage despite being quite clearly nothing of the sort. Oh, and by the way, you won’t get it if you’re under 25. If you’re under 25, your parents should be able to sort you out.

Some might suggest it’s a bit gauche to act like you’re in a football terrace as your party introduces a series of measures which bring suffering to vulnerable young people, but let us all take comfort. While working class teenagers – and disabled people, and low-income workers – across the country sit wondering how they’re going to deal with this, at least one Conservative politician is very, very happy.