Osborne's Budget 2013: Almost 50% Believe Chancellor Should be Sacked [VIDEO]

Almost half of those questioned in a pre-Budget opinion poll believe that George Osborne should be replaced as Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer.

In a poll conducted by by ComRes Ltd for ITV News, 44 percent of respondents were of the view that Osborne should be fired, while 18 percent stood supporting him and 38 percent said they don't know.

A majority of people wanted Osborne to ease his austerity programme in order to save the struggling economy. ComRes found 41 percent of respondents wanting him to borrow more money to spend on infrastructure.

However, the public were divided over exactly who should replace George Osborne, with Vince Cable, William Hague and Theresa May supported by 12 percent, 5 percent and 3 percent of the respondents, respectively. One in five or 22 percent favoured 'someone else' for the position.

When asked on the state of economy, 61 percent felt the economy is heading back into recession and 54 percent were disagreeing with the way the government was going about cutting public spending.

Net economic trust in Osborne declined by 13 points since last year to minus 40, the poll observed. Meanwhile, net economic trust in David Cameron stands at minus 22, an 11-point drop since March 2012.

Osborne has earlier announced further cuts to departmental spending to fund extra capital investment and vowed to stick to the ongoing austerity measures. He is set to present his fourth Budget statement to Parliament later today.

Meanwhile, as many as 250,000 civil and public servants in the country are expected to participate in a all-day strike to protest cuts to their salary, pensions and working conditions. The walk-outs and protests mark the start of the three-month programme of action organised by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, which represents government workers including tax officials, passport and customs officers, coastguards and civilian police staff.

"We will quickly follow up our budget day strike with a walkout on 5 April and step up our campaigning for the government to take serious action against wealthy tax dodgers," said PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka.

"With polls showing people are less likely to support government policies if George Osborne's name is attached, it is clear the public have lost faith in austerity and want an alternative."

George Osborne's Moment of Truth? [VIDEO]