The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, is about to present his first Budget.

He's having a tough first year in charge, faced with a general economic slowdown, the Northern Rock crisis and outcries over policies including changes to capital gains tax and non-domicile taxes.

So what will he have up his sleeve? Will he be able to pull any rabbits out of hats, or are his hands tied?

Will the Chancellor have to admit the outlook for the economy has weakened since October's pre-Budget report?

Will we see action to rival that in the USA, where some economists were taken aback by the extent of the government's action to shore up the economy there?

Or will this be a quiet Budget, with very little to grab the headlines at all?