The chancellor is traditionally allowed a drink of alcohol during the Budget speech, and while Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling both preferred mineral water, George Osborne may feel that the circumstances call for something a little stronger.
If he’s looking for ideas, here’s what his predecessors ordered:
Whisky (Kenneth Clarke)
Gin and tonic (Geoffrey Howe)
Brandy and water (Benjamin Disraeli)
Sherry and beaten egg (William Gladstone)
Spritzer (Nigel Lawson)