The Budget

What a great budget! It recalls the budgets of Labour's first term. It's morning again in Britain, and roll on a fourth term!

Update 22/03/07: Just an observation based on anecdotal evidence, but the reaction to the budget from right wing voters I've spoken to, (as opposed to Tory activists), was interesting. They had geared themselves up prior to the budget for tax rises, and the budget itself came as a shock. First reaction was spluttering as they felt put-out they couldn't spout the anti-Gordon bile they so enjoy. Then they claimed it was all smoke and mirrors and that no-one benefited. Then after crunching numbers the reaction was "f***k me I'm better off". Then it was "I'll believe it when I see it in my pay-cheque". Then there was grudging acknowledgement that it was a very clever budget, and good to ordinary basic rate taxpayers and that the tax simplification was a genuine advance. There was acknowledgement that Cameron had fluffed his budget response, and that the Tories were boxed into a corner (couldn't cut the basic rate further, couldn't abolish tax credits after making a fuss about the low-paid). This group of people doesn't rate Cameron much anyway, and his poor performance was another black mark. If they feel that they won't be worse off under Gordon (their big fear is that with Tone gone the supposedly left-wing Gordon will emerge), and possibly better off under him, they will probably feel comfortable following their instincts and abstaining at the next election. Which is what Labour wants.