Sir Ralph

That was fine. He did that in an emergency budget after the 2008 financial crisis. The context was very different. what he didn’t do was raise it in the context of facilitating an increase in public spending and welfare rises. This is essentially what the government is doing now with taxes. We are not in a 2008 crisis. Very different situations.

I literally don’t give two hoots about what you think I do or don’t do and who I know or don’t. What I don’t need to do is send pictures of my book shelf or at corporate events to validate myself on a forum of people I don’t know . Cheerio.

People say I talk BS when I make a point. They ask me to justify my position. I do, comprehensively. They cant respond and say I'm ranting. What are answers to my questions then. I anticipate they will be ignored.....again.

Economics. Some of the people in the civil service have them too. Doesnt mean that gives you an understanding of the real world impacts. What do you think to the questions I posed bearing in mind I set out my position?

I get annoyed because half of you are clueless about the economy and the real impact. Some of this is basic if you speak to business owners. The Government promised not to increase taxes for people. Their budget has done just that because of decisions they have made elsewhere around public spending and welfare. They would not have been elected if they had told people what they were going to do. If you 1. As a principle increasing taxes during a cost of living crisis should be last resort. The Government promised not to increase taxes and were elected on this basis. Do you dispute this? 2. They should have cut welfare and not increased it. The Cabinet wanted to do this and so there is clear evidence that this was possible. Do you dispute this? They have increased welfare spending because of their backbenchers not because it was the sensible economic approach. 3. They havent reduced public spending before increasing taxes. I revert to the article by Starmer where he said this was possible.https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/starmer-too-many-civil-servants-comfortable-in-tepid-bath-of-managed-decline Is Starmer wrong? I quote: Starmer also criticised public sector productivity. The PM said productivity in the public sector has dropped by 2.6% compared to a year ago, and is 8.5% lower than just before the Covid-19 pandemic. He says this “wouldn’t be accepted in any other sector or walk of life” and that he will not subsidise lower productivity "with ever-rising taxes on the British people”. 4.They bang on about economic growth being important (albeit they have no clue what it means). Which parts of the budget yesterday will increase growth and jobs? I can tell you that the pension tax, increased dividend tax, mansion tax, tourist tax, freezing income tax thresholds will do the opposite. 5. I understand that you need to keep things fiscally tight but there are so many other ways of doing this. There is no justification for the all out tax approach for the second budget in a row.

A more detailed summary than I have seen from any of the pro-Labour lot on here though. All that has been posted by the lefties is 'we just need to spend more money on public services' and no real justification for it or whether the impact on 'real' working people is acceptable. There has been no comments from the lefties on why there have been no reduction in public spending or welfare (but an increase instead) and therefore the government is taxing the whole nation more (when it said it would not). Why? This is the question nobody can answer. Also someone on here said people voted for this Government and this budget. They absolutely did not. The Governments manifesto talked about no tax rises. So, people did not vote for this.

No I give evidence of my position. That why I do it. You give none ever. Centrist mainstream publications, which tend to be less politically motivated, are good evidence of the overall view of this budget. Keep reading the Morning Star

Strange response. I don’t. I make my own mind up. I was using this to justify my position that there is a broad view that this budget is bad.

Fair enough

Well as you can see middle of the road publications think this is a crap budget.

Have you been under a rock for the past 24 hours? No the times and independent. I read more centrist publications. That’s when you know there is a problem. Stop reading the daily mirror and the guardian. They are left wing. Expand your world view by reading a broader base. I read the guardian every now and again even though I disagree with it

Semantics. PMQs followed the budget speech. If that’s what you have got it’s pathetic. Goodbye

I mean most media outlets have said it. No cuts and increased welfare spending unnecessarily at the cost of the tax payer and business. In a time of a cost of living crisis They talk about growth. They have not one idea what that is. Where were their policies on growth?

here he is. The brains…the three word wonder.

Still making the MP look pretty incompetent though. His questions werent even hard.

Absolutely clueless. How is someone like this allowed to make decisions on national issues. Embarrassing. Can't answer the question.....

Tell me about your fake job again.

Cant wait

You havent even read it have you. Best to leave it. I dont think some poster on here have a clue about economics. For an simple guide watch Badenoch explain it to Reeves at PMQs.

Look at the polls in terms of predicted seats. I think Labour's will be further declining after this and we still have more budgets to come.

Its irrelevant for the purposes of today. Reeves had a number of ways to maintain fiscal credibility (1) increase spending and hammer people with taxes; or (2) cut spending and minimise taxes. She chose (1). That is the fundamental issue with this budget. It has no balance and people are pissed.

2029 will be the best....probably Summer time. There will be joyous partying in the streets.

Are you Reeves? Why does everyone always revert to the Tories. Also the 'headroom' is an ongoing issue, which every government addresses during its time. We are judging her. Today is about her and what she and her party have done. As I said, this is the nail in the coffin. People know that they are being taxed because she cant control her socialist backbenchers and its not what people voted for.

I’m not sure happy is the right word. Marginally satisfied more appropriate. This is because the budget deficit hasn’t increased and has a larger headroom. The headroom itself is good in principle and could have been achieved by any government. It can be achieved in a number of ways, including cuts or a more balanced budget. A lot of scepticism in the economy was already factored in before the budget because people knew what was coming. This government is obsessed with taxes rather than economic growth. Thats it. It doesn’t mean that the markets believe it’s a “good budget”. The good thing about today was now we have a clear difference in ideology between Tory and Labour, how we structure the economy and what 'working people' mean and how they both see the future of Britain. It was stark. In my opinion, for most employed people, this budget is the nail in the coffin.