Politics At Jack And Sam's: Will there be 'nasties' in the imminent budget?

A double dissolution election may be on the cards should the Abbott government not pass its budget measures through parliament.

Tensions are rising as budget day nears, with the Abbott government facing an uphill battle to pass its budget measures through the Senate.

The government needs the support of eight crossbench senators to pass its budget, but so far, only two have indicated they will support the measures.

If the government is unable to pass its budget, it could trigger a double dissolution election.

A double dissolution election is held when the House of Representatives and the Senate are dissolved at the same time.

This can happen if the Senate rejects a bill that has been passed by the House of Representatives, or if the two houses pass different versions of a bill.

If a double dissolution election is called, it would be the first since 1987.

The Abbott government is facing pressure from both the left and the right on its budget measures.

The Labor Party and the Greens have vowed to block the measures, while some Liberal MPs have also expressed concerns.

The government is hoping to win the support of crossbench senators by offering them concessions.

However, it is unclear whether these concessions will be enough to secure their support.

The budget is due to be handed down on May 12.