If the aim was to raise the cash required to reduce inheritance taxes they should have spread the burden - or been honest about its motives.

Both parties argue that it would help to spread the burden of austerity and fund new affordable housing.

No such effort was made to spread the burden equally between the generations.

So as energy bills rise, an increasing proportion of utility customers are likely to pay more frequently - most typically monthly rather than quarterly - to spread the burden.

But the planned reorganisation creates an opportunity to spread the burden of noise pollution more thinly, and therefore more equitably.