The UK Budget

[London Man]

Discuss.

[Sibboleth]

Not bad all things considered... some nice redistributive policies and (despite Tory smears) it actually pays for itself thanks to the North Sea thing.

[Democratic Hawk]

Pleased overall. If people actually bother to look at the detail, there aren't many losers in this budget not if the centre pages of The Independent are anything to go by

Allowances and tax brackets raised in line with inflation, good news for pensioners and young home buyers. I'm no worse of, and even if I was one of those who were, I'd still vote Labour because the good/needs of society is greater than that of myself

The one issue I do have (and I wouldn't say I'm against it) but £75 pw for 17-year olds still in school. Wouldn't that money have been better spent on students at college or university?

All, in all, a pretty sound Budget with Gordon Brown not giving away to the extent that would undermine economic stability. Of course, some of the popular press are bandying the word 'bribe' around; as if that is something the Tories wouldn't do (but then they ruddy perfect aren't they?). The big difference between Brown and them is that Brown is not prepared to risk economic stability for the sake of electoral profit

Long may sustained economic growth and investment in public services continue and perhaps one day I'll be toasting a Labour government for widening tax allowances and tax brackets even further, with a hope to seeing the basic rate cut - now that would be an accomplishment

Dave

[London Man]

Nice picture on the front of yesterday's Mirror:

[Democratic Hawk]

Nice picture on the front of yesterday's Mirror:

Very good picture. The Mirror calls the Budget for what it is, which is more than I can say for the Daily 'Hate' Mail and the Daily Express, and in the latter instance, what else could you expect from a smut peddler, who doesn't care?

The reactionary right just can't handle the fact that a centre-left Chancellor is doing a better job than the incompetent lot, who head their preferences

I can't find a lot of losers in this budget

Dave

[moderate_devil_dog]

Could any of you U.K. people explain to me the major political parties in your government?  What party has the majority of power as of now?

[Democratic Hawk]

Could any of you U.K. people explain to me the major political parties in your government?  What party has the majority of power as of now?

The three principle parties are Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats, Broadly speaking,

1) Labour is officially a democratic socialist party but I'd say moderate left-of-centre economically and moderately populist on social issues
2) Conservatives are right of centre in respect of both economic and social issues - I'd say they are the less moderate of the two main parties
3) Liberal Democrats are ambivalent. It's hard to define them left or right economically, but socially they are left of centre

The UK has other parties - but only nationalists (the SNP [Scotland], Plaid Cymru [Wales], SinnFein and SDLP [Northern Ireland) and unionists (the OUP and DUP [Northern Ireland]) hold seats in Parliament

Labour is currently the party in government, who should be re-elected - though I suspect with a reduced parliamentary party. The General Election is widely expected to by on 5 May to coincide with local elections  - though Blair can hold back until 2006 if he so wishes

Dave

[moderate_devil_dog]

Sorry, I should have referred to you as residents of the U.K. not people.  How often are national elections?  You said Blair could hold the ecetions in 06 instead of 05. Why is this?

[Jake]

Sorry, I should have referred to you as residents of the U.K. not people.  How often are national elections?  You said Blair could hold the ecetions in 06 instead of 05. Why is this?

There must be elections every five years, the last was in 2001, so Blair has until 2006 to hold them.

[Jens]

And the UK, like the majority of the European countries has term maximums, not fixed term limits and election dates, meaning that an election can take place at any given time during the term. In 1974 the UK had 2 parliament elections (and Denmark had 3 i 1920 but that's a completely different story )