“I am puzzled and disappointed that you have chosen to resign.”
I am unable to watch passively…fiscal self imposed restraints that I believe are more and more perceived as distinctly political rather than in the national economic interest.”
Plus: Contrite Soubry. Ashcroft’s Party. The Chancellor’s forecasts and the OBR’s admission. P.S: Re those Clarke memoirs, I admit that I can’t wait to read them.
It felt more like a pre-election than a post-election one – and was shot through by a sense of the Chancellor’s political mortality.
And evidence from abroad suggests that it will fail in its declared aim of reducing obesity.
The Chancellor’s Budget Statement in full.
The Chancellor was a commanding figure, Jeremy Corbyn could do nothing to spoil things for him, and Andrew Tyrie will now check whether the figures add up.
The former Chancellor champions further reductions in the rate of spending and further tax rises – such as a hike in fuel duty.
Cutting duty on wines and spirits has boosted revenue. So why shouldn’t the Chancellor serve up more reductions in next week’s Budget.
The thicket of perverse incentives, uncertainty and reliefs must be sorted out.
Goodbye, Austerity Chancellor. Hello, leadership contender. The Autumn Statement was framed to please Conservative backbenchers rather than crafted to balance the books.
In the last Parliament, we were able to reduce the cost of government substantially, with administrative budgets falling by 40 per cent. But we need to go further.
“The simplest thing to do is not to phase in these changes but to avoid them altogether.”
Especially so for smaller firms and entrepreneurs.