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A hundred leading economists have called for the government to step back from the brink of a new economic crisis and enact A Plan to avoid a double-dip recession.

In a letter to the Observer, the umbrella group of distinguished experts from across the country argue that the chancellor must rethink his strategy and have A Plan. It could be Plan A, Plan B or even Plan X but A Plan is needed to kickstart growth and save the UK from growing unemployment and a further fall in living standards.

Condemning the intransigence of the chancellor, George Osborne, as he pursues the coalition government’s plan of not having any plan, the economists write: “It is now clear that not having A Plan A isn’t working. And not having A Plan B isn’t working either.” And they warn: “Not enacting A Plan is not an option.”

They call on the government to consider radically altering its course for the economy by doing something – anything at all. Their proposals, in a manifesto entitled “A Plan: It’s Good To Have One For the Economy“, will be launched in London on Monday. They include:

■ Doing something about the economy.

• Giving a shit about unemployment .

• Being aware that being chancellor doesn’t mean you just waltz around in chauffeur driven cars going from meeting to meeting but means you sometimes have to actually do things about the economy.

• Realising that a lot of people aren’t as rich as you and your friends are and don’t have millions stashed away in off-shore bank accounts to cushion themselves in times of hardship.

A spokesperson for the Chancellor denied the government didn’t have A Plan for the economy, saying:

Our plans are very clear. We plan to follow our plans which we’ve been planning to do ever since we started planning them. That’s what we plan to do. And nothing is going to stop us sticking to them.

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