Karl Marx argued that history repeats itself: the "the first time as tragedy, the second as farce".

The Liberal Conservative coalition government seems to be reversing this sequence.

To ministers and senior civil servants, the announcements yesterday of efficiencies - pay cuts, pool cars, banning first-class travel and encouraging public transport - may seem strangely familiar from a classic episode of the BBC's Yes, Minister.

Credit and thanks to Karen Bloor of the University of York for noticing this.