Budget 2015: It’s George Osborne’s narrative that counts, not the details March 17, 2015 All eyes will be on George Osborne’s Budget today. An immense amount of media attention and serious commentary will be devoted to it. But do Budgets really matter? How much difference would it make if successive chancellors simply did nothing, apart from indexing various allowances and benefits in line with inflation? From time immemorial, British [...]
As the chancellor delivers the Budget today, could it be an election-winner for the Tories? March 17, 2015 Charles Lewington, managing director of Hanover Communications, says Yes The Budget will be rich in positive news – the deficit halved as a proportion of GDP, more people in work than ever, and improved economic growth. But don’t expect an immediate shift in Tory polling numbers. Changes to personal tax allowances and welfare caps will [...]
Budget 2015 vs Budget 2010: What are the vote-winners? March 17, 2015 It’s almost budget day in election year, the time for the Conservatives to dangle a few carrots and warn of a few essential sticks to come. But how different it this year’s budget to the Labour party’s swansong back in 2010? There are a few key differences and some glaring similarities. Tax evasion Osborne’s last [...]
Budget 2015 is all about that tax: Prepare for Osborne to say it every 31 seconds while wearing a blue tie, bookies predict March 17, 2015 It’s all about the tax in the upcoming budget. Chancellor George Osborne is expected to utter the word 108 times in his speech which is expected to last 56 minutes – or once every 31 seconds. That’s the predictions of spread betting firm Sporting Index when the chancellor takes the stage in the Commons for [...]
Budget 2015: This is how Londoners will benefit if there’s another beer duty cut March 17, 2015 George Osborne's decision on whether to change the tax paid on beer will be a hot topic tomorrow. There has been a 40 per cent increase in beer duty since 2008, and a third of what we pay for one pint of beer now goes to the government. Meanwhile, beer's popularity has fallen in the [...]
Oxfam anti-tax dodging protesters shower Westminster with fake money in run-up to 2015 budget March 17, 2015 Protesters from Oxfam donned their George Osborne and Danny Alexander costumes and took to Westminster this morning, in a protest against tax dodging. Dressed as the chancellor and chief secretary to the Treasury, the protesters posed with mock ministerial red boxes inside a glass dome, with fake bank notes flying all over the place. According [...]
No inheritance tax on homes worth less than £1m March 17, 2015 No one will have to pay inheritance tax on properties worth less than £1m, under plans being drawn up by the chancellor. Although the plans are unlikely to be announced as part of tomorrow's Budget, it's thought they'll be included in the Conservative manifesto. According to an "insider" who spoke to the Sunday Express, options [...]
Budget 2015: George Osborne has failed to face up to Britain’s long-term fiscal challenges March 16, 2015 We know a lot about tomorrow’s Budget from George Osborne’s TV appearances over the weekend. He will announce “a Budget for the long term” that will “raise living standards”. It will be a balanced Budget that avoids the problems of the previous government, which “got itself into trouble with unfunded promises”. To satisfy the chancellor’s [...]
George Osborne likes to think the unthinkable: Now he should abolish the Budget March 16, 2015 It’s a well-known saying that “turkeys don’t vote for Christmas”. So calling for George Osborne to take to the despatch box tomorrow and announce that he’s abolishing future Budgets – in turn, greatly diminishing the Treasury’s power – might seem a fanciful plea. In truth, it’s about as likely as Ed Miliband offering journalists the [...]
George Osborne Budget 2015: Here’s everything we already know March 16, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne is busily putting the finishing touches to his final Budget speech for this parliament, and while he's been keen to stress fiscal constraints mean it's going to be rather light on the ground, here's a quick round-up of what people think he'll pull out of the red box tomorrow: "No giveaways, no [...]