He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Has he? He must have been removed from one of the political tweet feeds I look at.
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
I'm not convinced there ever was a real Douglas Carswell, I think he's been made up by UKIP. A maverick, well liked Tory MP jumping ship and turning his fire on his colleagues? Sounds made up to me, just a UKIP fantasy. I won't be fooled.
That guy I was in the pub with at 4am following UKIPs win in Clacton making a speech and saying how happy he was to have left the Tories, how much he respected Farage etc must have been one of those Douglas Carswell impersonators
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
I'm not convinced there ever was a real Douglas Carswell, I think he's been made up by UKIP. A maverick, well liked Tory MP jumping ship and turning his fire on his colleagues? Sounds made up to me, just a UKIP fantasy. I won't be fooled.
That guy I was in the pub with at 4am following UKIPs win in Clacton making a speech and saying how happy he was to have left the Tories, how much he respected Farage etc must have been one of those Douglas Carswell impersonators
Definitely. Whole bunch of them working in shifts.
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
The Barnado's Chief Exec was paid £165,000 in 2014. Charity work is a nice little earner!
Is there anything more revolting than these chancers getting rich in the name of charity?
Yes there is....getting paid that and no doing their job. Barnado's went AWOL in Rotherham and now this individual wont condemn anybody or anything that went wrong there.
16.44 Ladbrokes seems to think so. The bookmaker has just narrowed its odds on a Tory victory on May 7.
Its head of political odds Matthew Shaddick was following the betting action:
Quote The money suggests that this might just be the start of a Tory breakthrough. It was one way traffic as soon as the Chancellor started speaking; if the betting reaction is any guide we might see a shift in the polls shortly.
Their new odds are:
1/5 No overall majority
9/2 Conservative majority
14/1 Labour majority "
Not had any chance to absorb any of the detail yet but it looks like a budget by someone brimming with confidence who finds cheap bribes beneath him (unless you are a pensioner with a bit of money to invest of course).
I find the confidence with which the tories have approached the debates and now the budget bewildering. Presumably they are all signed up fans of RodC.
I shifted positions this morning to the Tories most seats market in lieu of the post budget hype. As Mike said, let's wait and see. I think both Osborne and Miliband will be happy today though.
BTW what a thoroughly decent chap Danny Alexander comes across as, a bit in the mould of Darling. Perhaps he knows his number is up and is just allowing himself to be himself.
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Has he? He must have been removed from one of the political tweet feeds I look at.
16.44 Ladbrokes seems to think so. The bookmaker has just narrowed its odds on a Tory victory on May 7.
Its head of political odds Matthew Shaddick was following the betting action:
Quote The money suggests that this might just be the start of a Tory breakthrough. It was one way traffic as soon as the Chancellor started speaking; if the betting reaction is any guide we might see a shift in the polls shortly.
Their new odds are:
1/5 No overall majority
9/2 Conservative majority
14/1 Labour majority "
Not had any chance to absorb any of the detail yet but it looks like a budget by someone brimming with confidence who finds cheap bribes beneath him (unless you are a pensioner with a bit of money to invest of course).
I find the confidence with which the tories have approached the debates and now the budget bewildering. Presumably they are all signed up fans of RodC.
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Has he? He must have been removed from one of the political tweet feeds I look at.
Gin "Did you ever have him over for a cheese and wine super?" No time . Bar charts and graphs...... It was obvious with George at the helm he'd need to pick my brains dry
Broadly positive budget coverage from the Beeb on the six o'clock news, including a voxpox from super marginal and "JackW Dozen" seat of North Warwickshire.
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
"Whatever I guess that this was Geroge’s last budget. If the Tories are in government after May 7th he’ll have a different role." Hopefully replaced by Hammond if this is the case.
No...no game changer.... What the Tories really need if they want to change opinion, would be quickly to go big on what they would do without the Lib Dems. If they wait and wait, it will all get lost in the noise of the mud slinging.
Very, very true. That is when we discover whether Osborne really is the political genius that he thinks he is. But he only has a couple of weeks to do that.
The hilarious "not for profit" label that lefties like to wear also cracks me up. When I was self-employed I was a not-for-profit too. I took out all the money as salary, with the result that there were no profits. Ker-ching!
Mr. Dancer, I'm imagining I'll be amongst the select few with the chance to eat tapir meat. In my defence, given they are officially protected in Ecuador, the poor beast was roadkill. Very rich and sickly to be honest.
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Has he? He must have been removed from one of the political tweet feeds I look at.
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
@paulwaugh Seems Paxman to quiz Cam + Miliband on C4 next Thurs, 9pm. Will Ed stay on set on off chance of a debate? #Popcorn
I presume this is instead of the head to head debate, so basically it will be done and dusted before the GE campaign i.e Cameron basically gets what he wanted?
It is one thing not to have debates, but the "big set piece" interview before GE campaign has got going...for tv companies that is really crappy...for the nation too.
Mr. Dancer, I'm imagining I'll be amongst the select few with the chance to eat tapir meat. In my defence, given they are officially protected in Ecuador, the poor beast was roadkill. Very rich and sickly to be honest.
Didn't a character in Apocalypto eat a tapir's balls raw as a cure for impotence?
Should this prove to be Osborne's last budget, I'll regret the ending of the finest Chancellorship of my life-time. He's performed wonders with the wreckage left by the Labour delinquents.
In that he has missed every target he set himself? LOL
Every target? Sounds like ill-thought rhetoric from the Labour spin machine. Full of owls. Such as shift 1 million people from the public sector to the private sector?
9/2 Conservative majority and 14/1 a Labour one. Why the disparity? Presumably a feeling that a government can get a last minute pre-election boost that is impossible for an opposition. If there has been a little budget boost in the betting markets I'd be tempted to have a flutter on Labour. Rather annoyed I'd didn't get on Yes to get below 45% at the last minute in the indyref.
No game changer from Osborne, but some good news in that the cuts will end a year earlier in 2019-2020 and with a slightly smaller public spending squeeze than was suggested in the autumn statement. Raising the personal allowance and 40% threshold will also go down well with low and middle earners, while he saves raising the inheritance threshold for the manifesto to appeal to the wealthy middle classes. Raising the bank levy and selling off some bailed out banks' assets will also go down well and a populist cut in beer and cider duty and freeze in the fuel duty will also go down well
9/2 Conservative majority and 14/1 a Labour one. Why the disparity? Presumably a feeling that a government can get a last minute pre-election boost that is impossible for an opposition. If there has been a little budget boost in the betting markets I'd be tempted to have a flutter on Labour. Rather annoyed I'd didn't get on Yes to get below 45% at the last minute in the indyref.
I've been backing Labour most seats and Labour minority government today. There seems to be a wall of money out there for the Conservatives, and I see no reason not to place what I consider to be value bets.
Today is the day when all sorts of "interesting" people pop their heads up...
Some reaction to the chancellor's budget from Barnado's chief executive, Javed Khan. He said: "We're disappointed that the chancellor has chosen to combat in-work poverty with tax changes that benefit higher earners three times more than the poor. Struggling working families will see precious little from the tax change."
Evening all and having tried to digest the main budget proposals, I personally am pleased on balance with what he did.
I think much will depend on how the press portray the budget and if positive we may start to see a modest movement in the polls this weekend. Frankly I am still coming to terms with TNS giving the Tories a lead in a poll.
Nearer home I will be fascinated to see how the budget affects the political dynamic in Scotland. I don't think it will dent the SNP lead but whether it will tease out a few more Labour to Tory switchers in key seats will be interesting. How much difference the oil industry support in the budget makes in the north-east, especially in seats like West Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen South, will be interesting to watch out for.
Wayne Odesnik has been banned for 15 years from tennis. He was ranked 267th in the world. I think I would have packed with a lot of shame in if I was doped up to the eyeballs and still ranked outside the worlds top 250 !!!
Is it just me or does Danny Alexander look like he's committing professional suicide every time he appears on TV and claims the budget is a joint effort?
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
9/2 Conservative majority and 14/1 a Labour one. Why the disparity?
Err, perhaps it might be related to a little local difficulty Labour are having north of Hadrian's wall?
Hung parliament has to be heavy odds on but the opinion polls don't currently suggest the Tories are likely to get any more seats than Labour, yet their price on a majority is nearly 3 times as short.
Is it just me or does Danny Alexander look like he's committing professional suicide every time he appears on TV and claims the budget is a joint effort?
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
What taxes on pensions?
Oh, perhaps you mean the reduction in the lifetime allowance. Yeah, I for one have already criticised that.
Is it just me or does Danny Alexander look like he's committing professional suicide every time he appears on TV and claims the budget is a joint effort?
Alexander would be mad not to claim joint credit for the Coalition's remarkable economic performance. Quite the opposite of professional suicide.
You are as bad as the mainstream press at inventing headlines. I do not think many people at all were predicting a 'game changing' budget. There were never going to be any rabbits out of any hats. The projections are not the governments they are the OBR's. The budget was going to be important. It sets the scene for the election and it shows the country on track. That should underpin the tories. Not sure about the LDs.
Rumours of to dead rabbits in George's back garden continue make the rounds of the MSM. Believed to be the result of failed experiments of pulling rabbits out of hats. Police still looking for missing hats to close the case. George dressed in dark colours while making budget speech in honour of the rabbits. They died in a good cause, George is reported to have said.
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
Oh, perhaps you mean the reduction in the lifetime allowance.
The *third* reduction in the lifetime allowance in this parliament. It really is George's go-to tax whenever he needs a billion or so.
9/2 Conservative majority and 14/1 a Labour one. Why the disparity?
Err, perhaps it might be related to a little local difficulty Labour are having north of Hadrian's wall?
Hung parliament has to be heavy odds on but the opinion polls don't currently suggest the Tories are likely to get any more seats than Labour, yet their price on a majority is nearly 3 times as short.
And with the latest Ashcroft marginals batch pointing to a 5% CON to LAB swing in the marginals anybody betting on the Tories at 1/2 is barmy.
Is it just me or does Danny Alexander look like he's committing professional suicide every time he appears on TV and claims the budget is a joint effort?
Alexander would be mad not to claim joint credit for the Coalition's remarkable economic performance. Quite the opposite of professional suicide.
9/2 Conservative majority and 14/1 a Labour one. Why the disparity?
Err, perhaps it might be related to a little local difficulty Labour are having north of Hadrian's wall?
Hung parliament has to be heavy odds on but the opinion polls don't currently suggest the Tories are likely to get any more seats than Labour, yet their price on a majority is nearly 3 times as short.
Correctly so. If you believe the polling, Labour have an absolute mountain to climb to get a majority, given Scotland. The Conservatives have a chance of getting a majority, albeit a slim one, if there's a modest swing in their favour. At the same time, on most academic models the two parties are close on Most Seats.
In other words it's not a symmetrical probability distribution.
The one which arguably looks too short is Lab Most Seats, not Lab Maj.
9/2 Conservative majority and 14/1 a Labour one. Why the disparity?
Err, perhaps it might be related to a little local difficulty Labour are having north of Hadrian's wall?
Hung parliament has to be heavy odds on but the opinion polls don't currently suggest the Tories are likely to get any more seats than Labour, yet their price on a majority is nearly 3 times as short.
And with the latest Ashcroft marginals batch pointing to a 5% CON to LAB swing in the marginals anybody betting on the Tories at 1/2 is barmy.
The ground game figures for Nuneaton were illuminating. I'd have thought Nuneaton would be one of the best resourced seats in the country for the Conservatives. Instead they're dreaming of taking NE Derbyshire...
I am curious as to why SKY chose to send Samantha Simmonds to Bradford to take soundings from voters on the budget. I know the Tories once held one of the Bradford seats but surely not since 1997.
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
Why fulminate over taxes on banks? As for pensions, I view it as a sad inevitability - I wish governments didn't raid long term savings like pensions and Mr Nabavi made this point earlier.
Both parties are guilty on this score but I think Labour are far more likely to raid my pension, my income and my house and anything else they can think of and, what's worse, waste the money. I could put up with it if the money were spent wisely - but it rarely is - not least because Labour seem to think that just spending and spending more and more is a good thing. Whereas I tend to the old-fashioned idea that what you spend it on and what you get for your money are far more important.
Frankly all parties seem to think our property should belong to them. So I view them all with suspicion on this point. Tax giveaways are no such thing, for instance. They're just taking less of our money in the first place.
(Edited) PS - I am not a PB Tory. Roger has said so. Apparently aspiring pig owners can't be Tories.
Wayne Odesnik has been banned for 15 years from tennis. He was ranked 267th in the world. I think I would have packed with a lot of shame in if I was doped up to the eyeballs and still ranked outside the worlds top 250 !!!
Who was that British sprinter who got banned in about 1988? He was on some sort of dope and it was commented that it was a tragedy, because he was so nearly a contender. In fact he was only nearly a contender because he was on the dope!
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Has he? He must have been removed from one of the political tweet feeds I look at.
Overall it was the sort of budget Ed Balls would have given:
Taxes on banks and pensions with likely taxes on high end property to come Subsidies for house prices Borrowing targets missed Promises of future increases in spending Lots of low cost but high profile gimmicks A complacent assumption of everlasting continuous growth **
And this is the reason the Eds are blathering so lamely - its difficult to criticize things you would have done yourself.
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Has he? He must have been removed from one of the political tweet feeds I look at.
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
What taxes on pensions?
Oh, perhaps you mean the reduction in the lifetime allowance. Yeah, I for one have already criticised that.
Both parties are guilty on this score but I think Labour are far more likely to raid my pension, my income and my house and anything else they can think of and, what's worse, waste the money. I could put up with it if the money were spent wisely - but it rarely is - not least because Labour seem to think that just spending and spending more and more is a good thing.
I think that's more or less exactly what they do think. Confiscating people's wealth does two things: it gives them money to piss away on favoured identity groups, but it also reduces those people and makes them poorer. The latter would be reason enough.
If Labour could think of nothing on which to spend other people's money, they'd take it anyway, even if they ended up piling all the banknotes up in a field and physically burning them. The equality of agenda would be served.
It is also why all Labour governments overspend: they can then bang on about "Tory cuts" as though living within your means = cuts.
The most damning thing of all about Labour is that in their heart of hearts, they know they always ruin the economy and they therefore know they need the Tories back in to fix it for them. So they can get back in on Buggins' turn and wreck it again. The reverse is not true - there's nothing only Labour can do in power that the Tories need to let them in to do.
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
What taxes on pensions?
Oh, perhaps you mean the reduction in the lifetime allowance. Yeah, I for one have already criticised that.
Of course his macro-economic judgement has been, as I correctly pointed out some three years ago, near-perfect. I seem to recall being a lonely voice at the time, but now pretty much everyone agrees with me. I can't actually think of a better post-war Chancellor: given the abysmal starting position and the massive unexpected headwinds of world commodity prices and the Eurozone crisis, it's a spectacularly good record.
Of course there have been a few mistakes and a few things I don't particularly like. He screwed up slightly early on on North Sea taxation, but he rapidly corrected that. I would have preferred him to leave pensions alone in this budget - we need stability in pensions. Still, looking at the big picture, 'near-perfect' seems about right.
"The theory favoured by the party’s strategist, Lynton Crosby, is that elections hinge on political fundamentals that work slowly. The Tories have the most admired leader, David Cameron, and a sturdy economic reputation. These advantages should tell by the time voters go to the polls in May. The dissenting view, held by some MPs and activists, is that politicians must electrify voters with big interventions: a sensational policy, a bolder campaign.
This Budget was the work of a man who entertains the second view but ultimately sides with the first."
I think a lot of people will not look closer at the budget than the 1p off beer - and the 2% duty cut on cider and spirits. - however, the bingo players will be disappointed this year.
Mr. Tyson, are you suggesting eating meat is inherently barbaric, or treatment of animals beforehand is?
Edited extra bit: you missed a rare bit of PB unity earlier regarding the wondrous nature of the pig.
Edited extra bit 2: Mr. Charles, not sure what you mean.
The whole concept of raising and then killing and eating a living, sentient creature, similar in many ways to ourselves would seem absolutely loathsome. But there again, cancer and illness will be eradicated, as too will poverty. There will be no prisons or crime. Party political elections will be the stuff of as satire as people universally converge around universally held values. The organs of the state will be long withered away. Human beings are really quite progressive and humane.
You should try some roasted suckling pig. Absolutely delicious!
Of course his macro-economic judgement has been, as I correctly pointed out some three years ago, near-perfect. I seem to recall being a lonely voice at the time, but now pretty much everyone agrees with me. I can't actually think of a better post-war Chancellor: given the abysmal starting position and the massive unexpected headwinds of world commodity prices and the Eurozone crisis, it's a spectacularly good record.
Of course there have been a few mistakes and a few things I don't particularly like. He screwed up slightly early on on North Sea taxation, but he rapidly corrected that. I would have preferred him to leave pensions alone - we need stability in pensions. Still, looking at the big picture, 'near-perfect' seems about right.
'Near-perfect' is a totally relative term though isn't it.
He was on Sky News earlier apparently looking uncomfortable according to a Tory on here..
I think Farages mob had his wife and kids bound and gagged at Kipper HQ again in a desperate attempt to stop him escaping back to the Tories as he so obviously wants to
Or putting out another kipper fire?
BBC Scotland News@BBCScotlandNews·2 hrs2 hours ago UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemns what he calls "disgraceful comments" made by David Coburn about Humza Yousaf http://bbc.in/191P5hE
Seems to me he has been tweeting all afternoon criticizing the budget.. maybe Nige nicked his phone and sent them while he has Dougie locked in the dungeon?
Coburn should have been sacked though. Not only was it an egregiously offensive and just mind-numbingly stupid thing to say, the guy is a total loose cannon who shoots his mouth off at every given opportunity. It was a good chance to get rid of him and prove a point at the same time. Too late now of course.
So in 2010, the budget deficits were (and I accept that different places will say different things so I'm taking them all from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/)
UK -11.5 France -7.5 Germany -3.1 (but increased to -4.1 the next year) Italy -5.5 USA -12.1 Japan -8.3 Russia -7.9
And as they stand now, according to the same source
UK -5.8 France -4.1 Germany 0.0 Italy -3.0 USA -2.8 Japan -7.6 Russia -0.5
Which gives the changes
USA +9.3 Russia +7.4 UK + 5.7 France +3.4 Germany +3.1 Italy +2.5 Japan +0.7
I'm not sure that's quite as damning as ...
Anyway, according to that site - Ireland went from -32.4 to -4 so they win EVERYTHING
16.44 Ladbrokes seems to think so. The bookmaker has just narrowed its odds on a Tory victory on May 7.
Its head of political odds Matthew Shaddick was following the betting action:
Quote The money suggests that this might just be the start of a Tory breakthrough. It was one way traffic as soon as the Chancellor started speaking; if the betting reaction is any guide we might see a shift in the polls shortly.
Their new odds are:
1/5 No overall majority
9/2 Conservative majority
14/1 Labour majority "
Not had any chance to absorb any of the detail yet but it looks like a budget by someone brimming with confidence who finds cheap bribes beneath him (unless you are a pensioner with a bit of money to invest of course).
I find the confidence with which the tories have approached the debates and now the budget bewildering. Presumably they are all signed up fans of RodC.
I shifted positions this morning to the Tories most seats market in lieu of the post budget hype. As Mike said, let's wait and see. I think both Osborne and Miliband will be happy today though.
BTW what a thoroughly decent chap Danny Alexander comes across as, a bit in the mould of Darling. Perhaps he knows his number is up and is just allowing himself to be himself.
I'm not sure, but I don't think you mean in lieu of.
The productivity growth (or lack thereof) one is the strangest. Even after you strip out the obvious things like fluctuations in the Oil & Gas and Financial Services sectors, you are still left with a puzzle. I don't think anyone fully understands it. My own view, FWIW, is that it's a temporary phenomenon, essentially a phasing difference.
Mike Smithson - I can't find your 36% figure in the data tables for Ashcroft's aggregate of the latest Con/Lab marginals. Can you let me know which table to look in? I want to compare with the Lib Dem to Con figure and obviously use the same data table.
Mr. Tyson, are you suggesting eating meat is inherently barbaric, or treatment of animals beforehand is?
Edited extra bit: you missed a rare bit of PB unity earlier regarding the wondrous nature of the pig.
Edited extra bit 2: Mr. Charles, not sure what you mean.
The whole concept of raising and then killing and eating a living, sentient creature, similar in many ways to ourselves would seem absolutely loathsome. But there again, cancer and illness will be eradicated, as too will poverty. There will be no prisons or crime. Party political elections will be the stuff of as satire as people universally converge around universally held values. The organs of the state will be long withered away. Human beings are really quite progressive and humane.
You should try some roasted suckling pig. Absolutely delicious!
And good for you. We need the minerals and nutrients in animal fats in fairly large quantities to remain healthy. It's not a coincidence that levels of chronic disease have sky-rocketed since our diets switched from mainly saturated fat to unsaturated fat and carbs.
@Richard_Nabavi Most people understand it, you just refuse to face up to the reasons. If you feel like posting something like "explain it to me then", then you might as well save a few pixels, as I said you know already.
I haven't had time to look yet but can I assume that this afternoon various PB Tories have been in fulminating fury over the taxes on banks and pensions ?
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
Oh, perhaps you mean the reduction in the lifetime allowance.
The *third* reduction in the lifetime allowance in this parliament. It really is George's go-to tax whenever he needs a billion or so.
Not happy about lifetime allowance reduction ( especially given the unfairness that we are not going to restrict public sector pensions to the same 30k a million quid currently buys at 65 index linked- I assume?), crap from Con/Lab/ and presumably Lib as its a coalition budget. Savings stuff and personal allowances good. Game changer? Prob not, so I worry that nerdy Ed with tartan assistance is going to start blundering about in the economy again in seven weeks time creating the usual mess, with added Caledonian pork barreling this time round.
@Richard_Nabavi Most people understand it, you just refuse to face up to the reasons. If you feel like posting something like "explain it to me then", then you might as well save a few pixels, as I said you know already.
I'm sorry, my comprehension skills are not sufficient to deconstruct that into anything intelligible.
I notice in his first paragraph he pointed out that the UK had the largest budget deficit in Europe with the exception of Ireland.
Does anyone know how the UK's present budget deficit compares to those of other European countries ?
Hope to see later but time for dinner now for me.
Off the top of my head, we're worse than France, Italy, and Germany, but probably slightly better than Spain.
We started off in a worse position that France, Italy and Germany though. Only Spain had a similar deficit to the UK. France's deficit has become worse as well, at least it is still getting smaller here.
@Richard_Nabavi Of course you don't, now go crow about the employment figures, and don't worry your little Tory head about anything else. You fool no one but yourself.
a populist cut in beer and cider duty ... will also go down well
You dont believe the polling on this from the previous thread?
Having been a regular beer drinker for too many years and having worked in the bar trade, it doesn't matter if the budget reduces the tax by whatever, the brewers I will increase the price by 5 to 10p per pint from tonight.
Mr. Tyson, are you suggesting eating meat is inherently barbaric, or treatment of animals beforehand is?
Edited extra bit: you missed a rare bit of PB unity earlier regarding the wondrous nature of the pig.
Edited extra bit 2: Mr. Charles, not sure what you mean.
The whole concept of raising and then killing and eating a living, sentient creature, similar in many ways to ourselves would seem absolutely loathsome. But there again, cancer and illness will be eradicated, as too will poverty. There will be no prisons or crime. Party political elections will be the stuff of as satire as people universally converge around universally held values. The organs of the state will be long withered away. Human beings are really quite progressive and humane.
You should try some roasted suckling pig. Absolutely delicious!
I used to love eating meat many years ago- I would think a meal wasn't quite right without some dead piece of animal carcass involved, but it is quite surprising how quickly you lose the taste. My diet now has never been better. That is why I predict human's will turn their backs on this squalid activity at some point.
So in 2010, the budget deficits were (and I accept that different places will say different things so I'm taking them all from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/)
UK -11.5 France -7.5 Germany -3.1 (but increased to -4.1 the next year) Italy -5.5 USA -12.1 Japan -8.3 Russia -7.9
And as they stand now, according to the same source
UK -5.8 France -4.1 Germany 0.0 Italy -3.0 USA -2.8 Japan -7.6 Russia -0.5
Which gives the changes
USA +9.3 Russia +7.4 UK + 5.7 France +3.4 Germany +3.1 Italy +2.5 Japan +0.7
I'm not sure that's quite as damning as ...
Anyway, according to that site - Ireland went from -32.4 to -4 so they win EVERYTHING
Or UK second highest deficit in 2010
After 5 years of GO brilliance we now have the
Second highest deficit in 2015
In the meantime we have 5 million in work people classed as in poverty up by more than 2.8m
Comments
"If I had a bit of land, I would keep a couple of pigs and some chickens."
You're obviously not a Tory. They'd keep an unemployed family paying rent
I would rather support good causes on Go Fund Me.
I shifted positions this morning to the Tories most seats market in lieu of the post budget hype. As Mike said, let's wait and see. I think both Osborne and Miliband will be happy today though.
BTW what a thoroughly decent chap Danny Alexander comes across as, a bit in the mould of Darling. Perhaps he knows his number is up and is just allowing himself to be himself.
Biased BBC again.
In my defence, given they are officially protected in Ecuador, the poor beast was roadkill.
Very rich and sickly to be honest.
I presume this is instead of the head to head debate, so basically it will be done and dusted before the GE campaign i.e Cameron basically gets what he wanted?
It is one thing not to have debates, but the "big set piece" interview before GE campaign has got going...for tv companies that is really crappy...for the nation too.
Which bit did you eat?
If you ate the same bit it would explain it.
Such as shift 1 million people from the public sector to the private sector?
I think much will depend on how the press portray the budget and if positive we may start to see a modest movement in the polls this weekend. Frankly I am still coming to terms with TNS giving the Tories a lead in a poll.
Nearer home I will be fascinated to see how the budget affects the political dynamic in Scotland. I don't think it will dent the SNP lead but whether it will tease out a few more Labour to Tory switchers in key seats will be interesting. How much difference the oil industry support in the budget makes in the north-east, especially in seats like West Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen South, will be interesting to watch out for.
Or have we seen the greatest change of mind this side of the road to Damascus ?
Oh, perhaps you mean the reduction in the lifetime allowance. Yeah, I for one have already criticised that.
Quite the opposite of professional suicide.
20-1 is more realistic.
In other words it's not a symmetrical probability distribution.
The one which arguably looks too short is Lab Most Seats, not Lab Maj.
But not a Liberal Democrat one.
Both parties are guilty on this score but I think Labour are far more likely to raid my pension, my income and my house and anything else they can think of and, what's worse, waste the money. I could put up with it if the money were spent wisely - but it rarely is - not least because Labour seem to think that just spending and spending more and more is a good thing. Whereas I tend to the old-fashioned idea that what you spend it on and what you get for your money are far more important.
Frankly all parties seem to think our property should belong to them. So I view them all with suspicion on this point. Tax giveaways are no such thing, for instance. They're just taking less of our money in the first place.
(Edited) PS - I am not a PB Tory. Roger has said so. Apparently aspiring pig owners can't be Tories.
Douglas Carswell retweeted
Dan Byles MP@danielbyles · 5h 5 hours ago
New fully flexible ISA - can take money out and put it back without losing tax free status. Good for savers.
Taxes on banks and pensions with likely taxes on high end property to come
Subsidies for house prices
Borrowing targets missed
Promises of future increases in spending
Lots of low cost but high profile gimmicks
A complacent assumption of everlasting continuous growth **
And this is the reason the Eds are blathering so lamely - its difficult to criticize things you would have done yourself.
** To be fair we get this from all Chancellors
That 2% is important !
must try harder
I counted 2
If Labour could think of nothing on which to spend other people's money, they'd take it anyway, even if they ended up piling all the banknotes up in a field and physically burning them. The equality of agenda would be served.
It is also why all Labour governments overspend: they can then bang on about "Tory cuts" as though living within your means = cuts.
The most damning thing of all about Labour is that in their heart of hearts, they know they always ruin the economy and they therefore know they need the Tories back in to fix it for them. So they can get back in on Buggins' turn and wreck it again. The reverse is not true - there's nothing only Labour can do in power that the Tories need to let them in to do.
Of course there have been a few mistakes and a few things I don't particularly like. He screwed up slightly early on on North Sea taxation, but he rapidly corrected that. I would have preferred him to leave pensions alone in this budget - we need stability in pensions. Still, looking at the big picture, 'near-perfect' seems about right.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/budget/7846849/Budget-2010-Full-text-of-George-Osbornes-statement.html
I notice in his first paragraph he pointed out that the UK had the largest budget deficit in Europe with the exception of Ireland.
Does anyone know how the UK's present budget deficit compares to those of other European countries ?
Hope to see later but time for dinner now for me.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4a1c0274-cd6a-11e4-9144-00144feab7de.html#axzz3UlVvZV6j
"The theory favoured by the party’s strategist, Lynton Crosby, is that elections hinge on political fundamentals that work slowly. The Tories have the most admired leader, David Cameron, and a sturdy economic reputation. These advantages should tell by the time voters go to the polls in May. The dissenting view, held by some MPs and activists, is that politicians must electrify voters with big interventions: a sensational policy, a bolder campaign.
This Budget was the work of a man who entertains the second view but ultimately sides with the first."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2da09f02-cbe3-11e4-aeb5-00144feab7de.html?siteedition=uk#axzz3UfaMaR6z
I think a lot of people will not look closer at the budget than the 1p off beer - and the 2% duty cut on cider and spirits. - however, the bingo players will be disappointed this year.
UK -11.5
France -7.5
Germany -3.1 (but increased to -4.1 the next year)
Italy -5.5
USA -12.1
Japan -8.3
Russia -7.9
And as they stand now, according to the same source
UK -5.8
France -4.1
Germany 0.0
Italy -3.0
USA -2.8
Japan -7.6
Russia -0.5
Which gives the changes
USA +9.3
Russia +7.4
UK + 5.7
France +3.4
Germany +3.1
Italy +2.5
Japan +0.7
I'm not sure that's quite as damning as ...
Anyway, according to that site - Ireland went from -32.4 to -4 so they win EVERYTHING
The productivity growth (or lack thereof) one is the strangest. Even after you strip out the obvious things like fluctuations in the Oil & Gas and Financial Services sectors, you are still left with a puzzle. I don't think anyone fully understands it. My own view, FWIW, is that it's a temporary phenomenon, essentially a phasing difference.
Most people understand it, you just refuse to face up to the reasons.
If you feel like posting something like "explain it to me then", then you might as well save a few pixels, as I said you know already.
Spain -11.1 (2010) -6.8 (2015)
Of course you don't, now go crow about the employment figures, and don't worry your little Tory head about anything else.
You fool no one but yourself.
I used to love eating meat many years ago- I would think a meal wasn't quite right without some dead piece of animal carcass involved, but it is quite surprising how quickly you lose the taste. My diet now has never been better. That is why I predict human's will turn their backs on this squalid activity at some point.
Mirror "Budget for Millionaires"
Guardian/Observer "Vote buying budget"
Sun/Mail/Express/Telegraph/Times/Metro/Star"Budget of a lifetime/Political genius"
Shares in tissues sky rocket.
After 5 years of GO brilliance we now have the
Second highest deficit in 2015
In the meantime we have 5 million in work people classed as in poverty up by more than 2.8m