I listened with some initial interest yesterday to Mr Osborne delivering his 'budget for growth' (has not every budget since the war, or even since the dawn of time, been presented as a budget for growth or for jobs?). I heard him talking about encouraging businesses in various ways, and every so often I silently addressed the radio as follows, "Yes Mr Osborne, but growth depends on investment. If the banks will not lend, then how will growth occur? Answer came there none, and after a while I lost interest in the chancellor's elaborate fantasies.
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The Budget, like the FA Cup Final, used to be something special. Now, like the FA Cup Final, it's just one of a series of events, or 'fixtures' if you will, in a crowded international calendar, all of which serve only to emphasize our greatly reduced stature in the world. As far as economic matters are concerned, the British Chancellor's action for scope has become so limited that he might just as well post his latest thoughts on Facebook and let the financial markets decide whether or not to take the slightest notice. In terms of Parliamentary spectacle, the televising of Parliament has revealed the Budget to be merely another example of our own brand of adversarial 'yah-boo' politics, complete with the apparently essential baying noises. -
One of George's close colleagues with a bit of experience in such matters may have possibly thought so as well ...
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Well, the OBR has stated that the measures in the budget are insufficient to affect the trend growth that they had forecast, i.e. they don't amount to a hill of beans as far as influencing growth is concerned. (Admittedly they hadn't taken the decreases in Corporation Tax into account as that seems to have been a late decision.)
There was a very interesting interview with Michael Fallon in today's Daily Politics. It starts about 8 minutes 40 seconds into the programme. Daily Politics had asked for a Treasury Minister but none was available (i.e. they wanted to avoid Andrew Neil's grilling).
It really is worth watching the interview. (Sometimes Andrew Neil makes the Today programme interviewers look like amateurs.)
Daily Politics - Thursday 24/02/11Last edited by johnb; 24-03-11, 19:49.Comment
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For a moment, I almost felt sorry for Mr. Fallon - but that moment passed...
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Brilliant demolition job.
I kept getting distracted by visions of the cash cow wandering on to the hill o'beans...maybe I need to start a fencing co-op. Hedger / ditcher anyone?Comment
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For many of us the worrying time will come next week when the arts council announces its new funding. Given the amount of cuts that it is going to make this will mean that some long established and successful organisations are likely to loose their money all together, even though the ACE funding isn't all of the money for any organisation it is probable that several will have to shut up shop. I was totally underwhelmed by this budget nonsense no vision and simply consisting of appeals to self interest. The whole fuel duty thing is such rubbish that i'm amazed that people fall for it (Global price of oil etc etc and VAT increase etc). Are those of us who think that we should have people in charge because they have good ideas, vision and competence rather than because they will make US better off in such a small minority as to be statistically insignificant so not worth bothering with ? Its that type of thinking that has removed all the music scores and textbooks from my library and replaced them with duplicate copies of Catherine Cookson novels aaaaaaaaaaarghComment
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Cash cow + hill of beans = methane = more global warming?Originally posted by greenilex View PostComment
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Say what you like about the former chancellor, Mr Pickles makes him look quite svelte. That part of the front bench looks very 'cosy'Originally posted by scottycelt View PostOne of George's close colleagues with a bit of experience in such matters may have possibly thought so as well ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12843551
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