The good news is, according to the Office of National Statistics, we've officially avoided the dreaded triple dip recession as GDP growth reached a third of a percentage point in the first quarter of this year. The bad news is that this isn't good news in the slightest. The meagre growth figure indicates a distinctly cadaverous economy. If this were a movie you'd be yelling at the screen for a Django Unchained style headshot to put the poor thing out of its whimpering misery. The ConDem coalition have presided over a growth record even worse than that experienced in the Great Depression, meaning that people are far worse off than when they came to office. This government inherited an economy which was tentatively recovering from a global crisis, but under their charge it has been flatlining for almost three years and the Chancellor is facing increasing criticism from respected economic bodies and thinktanks for his bullheadedness in refusing to consider anything other than austerity as a means of reviving the patient. The man in the white coat with the fiscal and monetary defibrillator in his hand is George Osborne and there is a lot of scepticism surrounding his abilities as Chancellor Of The Exchequor. In the last 12 months the UK economy has grown by a paltry 0.6%. During the same period the US economy has grown by 1.8%. Since the Emergency Spending Review in October 2010, the UK economy has grown by just 1.1% compared to the 6% projected by the Office for Budget Responsibility. From then until the end of this year's first quarter the USA has grown by more than four times that amount, 4.9%. In February 2009, Barack Obama introduced a $800 billion stimulus program. In October 2010, our government decided to take another route entirely and we've ended up here. If you undertake a quick search on google (other search engines are available) analysts who are more knowledgable than me describe Gideon as the worst Chancellor ever. After all, it takes a certain skill to oversee a period of almost three years with next to no growth and implement a deficit reduction initiative which has failed to reduce the deficit. An economy in recession needs a stimulus to encourage people to spend because the natural tendency is to hang on to your money. Attempting to reduce the deficit by keeping down wages so that industry will benefit and sell their goods to the very people who are being squeezed seems very much like banging your head against a brick wall, but what do I know? I've studied Economics, whilst Gorgeous George studied Modern History, so he's perfectly qualified to steer HMS Great Britain through these very choppy financial waters. I mean, at one time or another we've all pondered the link between Disease and Health Care in Early Modern Europe and Budgetary Prudence in a time of fiscal restraint, haven't we?. Whilst this is an article which explores George's gaffes and errors, I would suggest his greatest success thus far has been the touching moment at Mrs Thatcher's recent funeral when he was captured shedding tears on live TV. The Conservative MP for Tatton afterwards told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that the sermons, the music and the occasion all got to him. This is a triumph because it allows us to presume that the man has both feelings and a heart. Unlike Michael Gove. There are parallels between George and his mentor, Margaret, in that: they are both "Not for turning."; they both subscribe to the notion of rolling back The Big State in favour of The Big Market; and neither of them are worried about the impact of their divisive world view. Here are the five worst moments of his Chancellorship so far.