A mixed reception
The morning after the night before how does look? Some talk of a tax cut, others of a tax con. Yesterday Gordon Brown was the political showman, taunting the Tories that his tax cut was bigger than theirs. Today he turned himself into the softly-spoken Chancellor committed to tax reform and finding a little bit of money when the national budget was tight to help families and pensioners.
Shorn of the theatre, the rabbits out of hats and the political positioning it is fair to say that this was a significant reforming budget. Cutting tax rates in the way that Gordon Brown has is a reform that the Tories have called for and would have wanted to do themselves.
So why such a mixed reception and why do so many appear to believe that it's a con (if, that is, the emails, comments and calls to the 大象传媒 are representative)? It's down - once again - to the way he chose to present it. And it's because he's got form. Brown almost mumbled his announcement that he was going to remove the 10p starting rate so few realised that he'd announced, in effect, an 拢8.5bn pound tax rise. So some who cheered his 拢9bn tax cut felt deflated when they learnt what had really happened.
Faced by allegations that what "the Gord giveth, the Gord taketh away," the Chancellor's felt the need to point out that he did spend 拢2.5bn pounds on higher tax credits for families and taking some pensioners out of tax. Paid for, mind you, by higher green and business taxes.
The key to Budgets though is what in them proves to be lasting. Gordon Brown's calculations were almost entirely political and almost entirely about stopping David Cameron in his tracks. When the Tories talk of tax cuts, he'll say "I've delivered the lowest income tax rate in 75 years". When they talk of hiking green taxes to pay for personal tax cuts, he'll say "I've done it". When they talk of family tax cuts, he'll say "I've done that too but without discriminating against unmarried people or those abandoned by their partners". When they talk of controlling spending, he'll say "I'm doing it".
Team Cameron's reply is that that's all fine. Far from being their winning card, the economy's proved to be a dud for the Tories in recent elections because they've looked like a dangerously risky option. If their spending plans are the same as Brown's and their tax plans only different at the margins, perhaps people will plump for shiny, new likeable Dave as against grumpy old Gordon.
Ah no, thinks Gordon Brown. His calculation is that his budget will make the Tory right more twitchy for bigger and bolder tax cuts; will narrow the George Osbourne's options for smaller, targeted tax cuts and leave them facing the need to promise to hike up green taxes in a way which will prove to be mightily unpopular.
Who's right? Wish I knew.
PS: Talking of grumpy Gordon wasn't it fascinating, if, at times, slightly excruciating listening to to John Humphrys ask him again and again if he was liked (hear the interview by clicking here). You sensed his awkwardness. You sensed him shrink physically at the need to engage with such questions. David Cameron and Tony Blair are showmen who are comfortable talking about themselves. Brown hates it. And can't quite bring himself to say "go hang, it doesn't matter if people like me or not".
Someone once told Margaret Thatcher that while research showed that the public didn't like her, it didn't matter, because it showed clearly that, most importantly, they did respect her. You know what? She never spoke to that person again.
PPS : The Tories have just gone personal.
The Shadow Chancellor George Osborne launched a scathing attack on Gordon Brown's style of leadership following the Budget. "Look no further than yesterday's Budget... stealthy, sneaky unable to tell the truth - he's not the man who can restore public trust in government because he's the reason people don't believe a word they say any more."
And David Cameron who normally steers clear of these things has joined in by saying: "I think Gordon Brown's problem is that he finds it hard to be straight with people. If he had stood up and said 'Money is tight so I'm going to simplify the tax system but cannot afford to cut taxes', that would have been one thing. But he did not. Instead he pulled an elaborate con trick. People will ask 'Can I trust this man as my prime minister?' and I think they will say 'No, we can't'."
Evidence that they're frit (to use the word Mrs T once used) and lack a policy critique of Budget tax measures they say they'll vote for? Or low political cunning? You decide.
I'm 
Comments
With the HUGH amount of money that New Labour will be getting from the link below I would have thought the (so called) tax cut would have been more then 2p. There again the cost of Trident/Olympics has to be met.
It was all down to the presentation - If Gordon hed been upfront and had said 'here is a budget that simplifies the tax - nobody gains that much and nobody loses that much' I would have some respect for him. But no - he trumpets the tax cut, hides the tax rise and comes across as a bandit, a highwayman, a sneak etc.
And don't get me started on his tax rise for small business - fair enough cut tax for the city firms that bankroll New Labour, they need the money from someone, but to raise taxes for the small business, the builder, plumber,corner shop, butcher etc.
Noteworthy that most of the adjustments to the system are no more than promises for the future - up to 4 years no less.
Will they be honoured by whoever succeeds him?
Totally underwhelmed by the whole performance.
All this talk of Tax Credits, Nick - its another way of saying 'means testing' - and all the implications attached. Oh, sure - people can APPLY for them if they're entitled - but there are very tight criteria for them to be granted, and I'm sure our cynical Chancellor knows that perfectly well. He loves a 'handout dependent' class - because he knows that a lot of those who are eligible are too proud (or ill-informed) to apply for them. Result - money saved - much cheaper than having a low tax band.
The day after and now more than ever G.B.will carry the mantle as the chancellor who reacted to opinion polls rather than deliver economic justice,he has left himself wide open to all the cynic's and tied himself to a position of conservatism.the pressure of politics claims another victim.
Life is full of contradictions
Take more children out of poverty the government advocates. No explanation of how such 'poverty' is defined. Some children have 'rich' parents and can still be 'poor'
'Child centred ethos seems to bring
Homeless children on the street
Exploited girls men treat as slaves
Gangster boys with knives compete
Knowledge, travel entertainment
So many things for youth to try
Yet many take to drink and drugs
I'm bored to death they cry.
Gordon Brown's announcement of a 2p tax cut now looks like a typical sunday morning own goal on any park pitch in the country. Isn't it amazing, that a man that has tried so hard for last 10 years to distance himself from everything Tony Blair stands for, can, in one sentence show the British public that he is merely a clone of said Blair. At a time when the voting public are showing thier utter disgust at the spin and half truth's of the Blair government, 'Gordo' tries one of the most pathetically disguised pieces of spin this country has ever seen. Mr Brown hasn't even had the chance to try the key in 10 downing streets front door, and he is already on the back foot defending himself against charges against his personality and his policy's. At this rate, the conservatives won't have to spend any money at the next election, the labour party will do all the work for them......roll on the local elections!!!!!
I don't see how anyone can call this a socialist budget. It penalises all those people who earn less than 拢18 000 a year and are not entitled to tax credits, the very poorest members of society and yet richer members of society will be better off. I really don't think Gordon understands how bad it is for people on low pay, real inflation is sky high, pay rises are still very low and our chancellor removes the 10% tax threshold to replace it with a higher one. It is just incredible
Only one figure that matters in budgets: the overall government tax take.
Surprise, surprise: It's up again.
That's why it wouldn't matter if Gordon Brown announced a 20p income tax cut. 10 years have taught us to KNOW that he'll still engineer an overall tax rise, and that what we save from Peter will simply go to pay Paul.
This man is clever. He's also devious and brilliantly political. But it doesn't matter, because he's a busted flush. You'd need an IQ of under 50 to see him as anything other than what he's always been: the high-taxing, high-spending, Scottish socialist son of the manse.
Fancy that for PM? Well, fine... but get your wallet ready.
The culture of tax credits and benefits also does much to promote a client state of permanent Labour voters dependent upon the government's largesse. It provides countless more public sector jobs than a simple cut at the lower end. Smacks to me of 'Bread and Circuses.' Simplifying the system, in Brownspeak, actually means making the interaction of the tax and benefits systems almost impossible for the intended recipients to comprehend. I suspect this trickery will backfire on Brown when people find thay're no better off, despite the headline tuppence.
Quite a sound view you鈥檝e got there, Nick. It鈥檚 very calm, pragmatic and easily digestible, and should help get everyone on the same page. I couldn鈥檛 expect better if I鈥檇 asked for it. I鈥檒l stop short of endorsing Gordon Brown as, I think, John Reid is more naturally pragmatic and glued in, but as a budget it may help frame an environment for consensus that drives the tax and benefits system in a more useful direction.
Personally, I think, this budget could be considered as underlining Prime Minister Blair鈥檚 legacy and opening the door for a timely change of gear. I may be reaching, here, but one could argue that it鈥檚 the tipping point between Prime Minister Blair and an incoming John Reid, with Gordon Brown bowing out on a high note. Of course, Gordon Brown has momentum and John Reid hasn鈥檛 declared, but anything can happen.
As for the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, I still think they鈥檙e not suited for government but rather than indulge a partisan view, they might find some comfort in having played a part in forming this budget. Of course, the usual nonsense forms part of the background picture but it鈥檚 not especially useful. Better, perhaps, they take a more gently positive line and show people they鈥檙e genuinely interested in the national good.
"if, that is, the emails, comments and calls to the 大象传媒 are representative" - that's a pretty big 'if' Mr R!
A quick trawl through internet message-boards, blogs, radio phone ins etc. show them to be inhabited mostly by right wingers who probably have too much time on their hands and too little outlet for their frustrations!
It must be incredibly annoying for them to witness Labour running the most stable economy Britain has enjoyed for decades. No wonder they have to dream up conspiracy theories or spin the facts to suit their curious viewpoints. Perhaps they should take up something like fretwork instead...
I think now more than ever, the 大象传媒 needs to be asking questions about who the next Chancellor will be. We're getting updates almost daily on the candidates for the Labour Leadership and Deputy Leadership, but no mention at all of who will most likely be in charge of our economy.
I'm also concerned about how the removal of the starting rate will affect future budgets. In future, a rise is the basic rate of tax will affect a much larger proportion of our incomes. Could this have been one of Brown's motives?
I am sick of devious politicians and G Brown is the type specimen. Let's be clear. He has just raised tax again, although he would like you to believe otherwise. The tax credits may give some back to some people but his complex system has failed in the past, will be costly to operate in the future and will not distribute to all those who are eligible. The effect is that he will be collecting more tax and wasting more tax. No net benefit will accrue - just like before. He will never get my vote.
It's a con. People should look at all the stealth taxes introduced since he became chancellor and they will see that there really is no improvement. He has introduced over 100 differnet taxes. I measure it on 'Am I worse off after this than I was in 1997 when he became Chancellor?' The answer is always an overhwhelming YES. This is a con just like the con trick Labour is trying to play by changing their leader.
Where's this "average" wage of 拢18k?
My husband and I both earn less than 拢13k,(working full time) so our tax is going to jump.
We were struggling before this budget, but we couldn't even claim tax credits when he was out of work.
We're married without children. God help all the people like us "below average".
I'm Middle Waged, Middle England with a low interest mortgage and ISA's so Mr Brown gets my voted, especially after yesterdays poor performance by Mr Cameron and his front bench spokesmen, even the Lib Dems out shone them.
I really don't get this claim that Gordon Brown is all "smoke and mirrors" and so on.
When Gordon Brown became chancellor the basic rate of tax was 23 pence (or was it 24 pence? can't remember) in the 拢.
There was no 10% rate.
Now Basic rate of tax will be 20pence in the pound and there will be no 10% rate.
So things are as they were but income tax is down 4 pence in the 拢.
That's simply an income tax cut - it just is. There's no way Cameron can spin his way out of it - income tax has gone down massively under Labour.
Look, Chancellors are all the same. Give with one hand and take with the other. The only difference is, if it's a Tory Chancelloer he'll try to balence the books in favour of big business and the rich, whereas a Labour Chancellor would..... er hang on....
Ok, let me rephrase, a Labour chancellor SHOULD balance the books in favour of the poor and public services.
Gordon Brown maybe good at smoke and mirrors, but having been a lower middle income earner under both the Tories and Labour I know I am better off under Labour.
I think I speak for everyone when I say, I really couldn't give a fig how he lets me keep more of my hard earned money in my pocket so long as he keeps doing it.
How much longer are we going to carry on letting this man take us for a ride? And who here would like him to become Prime Minister?
Tax, tax, tax - that's all he does and he has absolutely no social skills to boot. A couple of years ago there was talk of him hiding a huge several 拢Bn hole in the economy, and with the relentless increase in taxes, it would appear this may be true and he is trying to make up the defecit. And of course pay for the Olympics.
Now he plans to tax up to 拢400 on those with 4X4's - I don't own one, but this tax annoys me as it's another clear case of taxing the well off and dressing it up as saving the environment - just like the new airport taxes.
He's also upping tax on the small businesses - again, anyone who is successful or is trying to be successful gets penalised for it. I've met people who choose not to work and claim benefits as they have more money in their pocket that having a job. What is this country coming to? What happened to the work ethic of getting out there and forging a career? I am trying to do this and the further up the "ladder" I get, the more I will get penalised for it.
Unless he stops the handouts (which he won't) he will always have the support necessary to keep the Labour government in power.
I just hope that the Tories put a strong campaign together and this time Labour will be knocked out. Who can warm to Gordon Brown anyway - can you really imagine him as PM?
Nick, Gordon Brown's future depends not on the political chattering classes or headlines in The Sun - but whether this man has delivered a better country to live in !
If we listen to economists (and the man himself) then Gordon has done a fabulous job over the last ten years ! Low inflation, reasonable employment conditions and some stability. The problem for the Chancellor is ...... very few 'real' people believe that the UK can do without him. Indeed, one hears more hostility towards him these days than Tony Blair. The voters will not get up on election morning and cheerfully skip down to the polling station to ensure a Brown victory. Labour MPs may shout 'Here ! Here !' but on the streets is growing anger at a government which appears hopelessly out of touch with reality - and real people. Despite the showbiz occasion of budget - Tessa Jowell's announcement on the blundering Olympics 2012 budget last week has done terrible damage to the Chancellor and so will the ever increasing Council Tax. If the Olympics were all wrong - can Labour be trusted with another ten years ? What else will be wrong ?
The Chancellor needs to re-invigorate his party to survive in government. Therein lies his overwhelming problem.
People are simply bored of Brown. Bored of this government's PR antics. Bored of their boasting and importantly bored rigid by their faces ! After ten years they have so little to show for their efforts. Brown looks weary - like a boxer who has won the fight but hasn't got the energy to lift his right arm up in triumph ! Former MP Bryan Gould said this was the fag end of Blair's premiership - but Gordon looks so out of puff desperately keeping the ashes alight !
Nick, the tax changes make no difference the real issue is how you spend the money. You failed to address the real issue.
NICK
I'm worried by your blog-THE George Osborne?
Is there more than one lurking? Have you got another exclusive up your sleeve?
The simple answer re Budgets is the state of the Economy-if it ain't broke, don't fix it is the golden rule for Chancellors of any political persuasion & this one follows that. Any real political Budget would surely have cut income tax from midnight by 1p & then lopped a 2nd 1p off next April.
He's as prudent as ever!
I agree with comment 2. One of the key things I think a lot of us are sick to death with is the spin.
When the tax cut was announced yesterday, my instant reaction was "that's rubbish, the devil must be in the detail." And lo and behold, it was.
Now this level of cynicism can't be healthy for democracy, can it? If Gordon want to break from the past, a little bit of honesty wouldn't go amiss. Because essentially, I don't really believe a word that comes out of his mouth (or most politicians for that matter.)
There were elements of the budget I think are good for the country. Reduced corporation tax, increased focus on education, simplifying the tax structure.
But I don't agree that this budget reduces any political gain to be made from arguing for tax cuts: because there hasn't been any tax cuts. The budget is tax neutral.
I don't necessarily resent the increase in taxation we have seen under Labour. What I resent is how ineffectively all the additional capital has been used.
It's not necessarily that New Labour's ideas have been bad. It's just how awful they have been implementing them.
I'm still failing to see how anyone who doesn't have children benefits.
All told, we'll all pay more taxes after his "income tax" juggling; don't forget he has played with NICs (again). Two years ago, he removed a cap that added 1500 to my tax bill. Yesterday, he said they'll "align" NI and tax; that's more cost to me!
Someone I know who earns about 12K-16K will pay more tax (for more, read DOUBLE), and they won't qualify for working tax credits (white, male, no dependants).
The only interesting part of the budget is that yet again it benefits people sharing HIS circumstances; one child married couple, high earnings, and so on...
It would seem that Gordon is so confident of moving into Number 10 that he is already done his re-election budget. If you do the numbers, it's not hard to work out that his "majority" of beneficiaries will be the modern "Mondeo Man". He seems to have ignored a couple of things though.
The Mondeo Man of 1997 (who was, apparently, fundamental to the NuLab victory) has been promoted to SUV Man.
A lot of the modern Mondeo Men are driving cars funded by allowance rather than the fleet manager. I see in the budget paper they've noticed that the mileage claims on these cars are up and there will be a review next year, presumably to put it in line with a greener policy to keep mileage claims down while they are actually helping to fund the car.
Apart from that it was obviously a political budget aimed at his personal ambitions to govern and nothing to do with UK PLC.
In GB鈥檚 first budget he introduced the 10% tax band and claimed that this was a significant improvement. In his last budget he removes the 10% tax band and claims that it is a significant improvement. If we thought New Labour spin (lies?) would leave No 10 with Tony, this proves beyond doubt it will not.
What GB actually said was 鈥 I am doubling the starting rate of tax to 20% because I made a mistake 10 years ago. I will try to limit the impact (on my popularity) by reducing the standard rate to 20% and making this the headline. I will also make some promises about taxation over the next 4 years to make this speech sound good, knowing full well that my successor will be at liberty to make any changes he/she sees fit, so we won鈥檛 be tied to any of it鈥.
It is insulting that GB believes we are all so gullible.
Press reaction was amusing. The Sun is in a quandary forcing itself to back the 2p cut, even though it has moved away from its fervant support for Blair's govt. However, at some point much nearer the election, the Sun will have to trumpet its support for Labour or Cameron's Tories dressed up as "Sun readers choose election winner!" Whatever happens, the Sun must not get the answer wrong or it will lose its reputation for what amounts to betting on the winner.
The Sun would never defy the opinion polls if a clear winner is evident so despite its support for the 2p, wait for the endorsement for the Tories much nearer the election. Easy really.
Nick - when do the opposition parties first get to see the contents of the budget? Also, when does the media?
How much longer are we going to carry on letting this man take us for a ride? And who here would like him to become Prime Minister?
Tax, tax, tax - that's all he does and he has absolutely no social skills to boot. A couple of years ago there was talk of him hiding a huge several 拢Bn hole in the economy, and with the relentless increase in taxes, it would appear this may be true and he is trying to make up the defecit. And of course pay for the Olympics.
Now he plans to tax up to 拢400 on those with 4X4's - I don't own one, but this tax annoys me as it's another clear case of taxing the well off and dressing it up as saving the environment - just like the new airport taxes.
He's also upping tax on the small businesses - again, anyone who is successful or is trying to be successful gets penalised for it. I've met people who choose not to work and claim benefits as they have more money in their pocket that having a job. What is this country coming to? What happened to the work ethic of getting out there and forging a career? I am trying to do this and the further up the "ladder" I get, the more I will get penalised for it.
Unless he stops the handouts (which he won't) he will always have the support necessary to keep the Labour government in power.
I just hope that the Tories put a strong campaign together and this time Labour will be knocked out. Who can warm to Gordon Brown anyway - can you really imagine him as PM?
Nick,
If the majority of people who have called and Emailed the 大象传媒 think it's a con perhaps they might have a point and you should investigate further?
You can tell an election is in the air with the putrid stench of 'fear the enemy' propaganda. Why do they always fight an election campaign by forcing the public to vote on the basis of which party does you the least harm?
This demonising is what is putting people off politics, increasing the trend of voter apathy. David Cameron's comments could as equally have been applied to himself with his bike riding followed by his chauffeured car with the party claiming green credentials. It's all nonsense, designed to deflect the public of the real issues. Very few politicians actually have 'something of the night' about them - let them be human, make them explain, and let the public decide on a parties policy, not imagined hysteria whipped up by the other party.
I am appalled at the way this was delivered.
If he had stated that we wanted to increase the tax of the least well off and give it to the better of it wouldn't have gone down to well, despite the fact that is exactly what he has done. If he wanted to simplify the tax system why didn't he just increase personal allowances to get rid of the 10p rate.
It leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.
I think the telling thing is about "stopping David Cameron in his tracks". The reason people are unhappy is that there has been little, if any, increase in productivity in the Public Realm given the massive cash infusions.
There has been no reform of the Public Sector to speak of, and there ain't likely to be, what with Labour in the pocket of the Unions (i.e. cash for peerages has "shot Tony's fox" on that one).
Taxes have gone up, the money's been poured down the drain in most people's eyes, so it's what's Gordon *not* done before now that makes people sick. Tragically, the '97 mandate has been squandered and people are feeling really unhappy. :-(
No comment yet on what a poor performance Cameron put up yesterday. Even if he was thrown by the 2p tax cut his prepared notes flew all over the place. He was strident, screeching and completely flustered. It must have been one of the poorest budget responses on record. Given the almost constant feel good factor he gets from the press whenhe faces Brown head on he loses hands down.
A few jokes dont make up for being a lightwieght- ask Hague great at the dispatch box hopeless everywhere else.
Only super green Dave Cameron could get away with taking a private jet from Oxford to Hereford aand suffer no political fallout from it.
They must all be tories like you Nick.
In the cold light of day nothing looks any better for Gordon Brown`s prospects of being a likeable and good prime minister than it did before this woeful budget.Listening to his interview with John Humphries,he came over as being out of touch with life in general and some of the explanations for his budget measures were bordering on the rediculous and very patronising.
Bring on the next election!!
My tax rate for 2008/2009 has just doubled from 10% to 20%.
Now who once told me that New Labour always looked after the working class?
And who was it who promised in 1997 not to increase tax at all?
Yet more broken promises from the New Labour school of spin!
Nick,
What I find curious is that G.B. claims the budget simplifies the taxation system - but then who has made it so complicated. G.B. of course.
It is perhaps significant that the majority of the population really has no definite idea whether they are better or worse off - probably it is neither.
If the reports from the Health Select Committee and the Public Accounts Committee are correct, Brown is going to need vast amounts of more money to keep the NHS afloat. He has already pledged 拢10bn more than was spent last year in the budget - an enormous amount of money ! Is that going to be enough to stave off the shortfall that will inevitably arise when the effects of the huge overspend on the additional nurses (300% more than budget) and doctors (100% more than budget) which have been taken on as a result of the last lot of money he threw at the NHS?
He has now pledged more money for education. Will that be gobbled up by additional inflation-producing staff in the system ?
It is no wonder that we have a record borrowing deficit. How will this country ever recover from this Government's idiotic spending frenzy?
'but as a budget it may help frame an environment for consensus that drives the tax and benefits system in a more useful direction.' Charles E Hardwidge at 12:13.
Pseuds Corner anyone?
Gordon Brown a victim of political pressure? Derek Barker at 11:29.
Oh lordy.
Thanks to both of the above I'm now starting to understand why with Brown and Blair you either love 'em or hate 'em. And I'm finally ready to believe that thankfully, a majority of the electorate favour the latter.
Charles and Derek. Enjoy it while it lasts - it's almost over.
Why does Brown insist that families do not lose from the tax rate changes? I have 2 kids and my wife and I each have earnings of less that 16k. We will definitely lose out . Brown forgets that as always those around the cut off points for benefits and tax credits - as we are - are always the big losers. I wish someone in the press would make this point and perhaps ask Brown for his opinion.
Any other sensible society will be very proud of Gordon Brown's ability, commitment and dedication to improving people's lives while at the same time ensuring the country's prosperity and security.
It is a shame serious journalists and supposedly serious media outlets, including the 大象传媒 and the Guardian, are becoming complicit in the dumbing down of politics by judging Brown by his looks, accent and some other irrelevancies.
We are told the electorate and especially middle England would not accept him as a PM because of his wrong looks and accent. If these are the qualities by which middle England judges a person's suitability to become a PM then they do not deserve to get what they want
"A quick trawl through internet message-boards, blogs, radio phone ins etc. show them to be inhabited mostly by right wingers who probably have too much time on their hands and too little outlet for their frustrations!"
Try looking at the Guardian 'Comment is Free' Blogs
It amazes me that we have this pantomome every year where one man decides the financial future of the people and the country. As the budget is for the benefit of the country and not for political party gain, then, it should be framed by Mps from all parties siting in a commitee.
Tom Leeds
How is it that no one in Government or opposition, seem to be able to make a simple statement without resorting to reading from a prepared script. Bliar has to open a book when asked a question in the commons. Farcical !
Tom Leeds
Some may talk of a tax cut, but as a small business owner who's just seen my rate of corporation tax rise from 19% to 22%, that's not how it looks to me.
I would have more respect for Brown if he would just be honest and say "We don't like small businesses and we're going to screw you at every opportunity" rather than coming up with the ridiculous empty rhetoric about how they want to help us. I have yet to see anything this government has done that makes life easier for small businesses.
Nick,
I gave up watching the online streaming of the budget on the 大象传媒 website as soon as I heard him say the budget would be broadly neutral. Neutral? With a huge public sector debt overhang, tax cuts for all were never on - so he chose to do what he does best. Look busy. Money was shifted from here (e.g. taxes on cars) to there (e.g. tax reductions for many) with adept sleight of hand but, ultimately and despite the craft, with no real consequence. After all, he can't afford to be either deflationary or reflationary any more with an election to win, can he? What the budget showed clearly is that the age of the economic miracle is dead: all that is now left to us the sterility of unimaginative economic policy and a liking for structural contrivances (like paying teenagers to study for heavens sake!) that look 'creative'. I wonder what those great Chancellors of the past would have made of it? 'Noise and bluster', I'd guess...
Budget, what Budget. I'll just stay at home at collect my dole. I have no incentive to get a job whatsoever. If i would have done what GB has I'd be in prison for fraud. But all you honest hard working people keep voting and paying your taxes. Dosn't make a bit of differance to me, I still get my rent paid,dental,prescriptions,holidays,council tax,and on top of all that my beer money. Why would I want a job when you do it for me,My dole goes up every year no matter what. THANKS havn't you done a good job of inspiring the youth today
"Any other sensible society will be very proud of Gordon Brown's ability, commitment and dedication to improving people's lives while at the same time ensuring the country's prosperity and security."
Presumably the same "other sensible society" would also ensure nobody earned less than 拢18,000 a year...?
Try looking at the Guardian 'Comment is Free' Blogs
Yep, there too...
Nick,
Your first reaction ('too clever by half') was right. It has taken until today (26th) for the accountants to work out that the real winners from this budget are wealthy pensioners and buy-to-let landlords! Brown's legacy will be an overly complex tax and benefits system, born out of his need to demonstrate how clever he is. What really worries me is him trying this tactic on the rest of the world when he is PM.
I would like to believe that there is a statement on my P60, "not subject to pollitical ego", If only ...
I suspect that Golden needs to work on containing the expectations. It's a big problem with Politicians and politically-minded management in general.
When you hear "Pay rises as high as 9%" You'll think "well, half that is still good" and work with it. When you find out that the 9% requires a list of accomplishments that would make Herculese look like a slacker and that you'll be lucky to get more than 2.5%, you don't think "well, that's inflationary" you're more likely to think "I've lost 2%!".
In the same way, people hearing of a 9Bn tax windfall when told later that is offset by an 8.5Bn loss will tend not to think "well, it's still .5 Bn back" but "they've nicked 8.5 Bn!".
Politicians want only the GOOD news to be heard, not the bad stuff. See "a good day for bad news"...
There is some one to take on Gordon Brown, and that is Tony Blair, he can call a General Election.