Budget 2017

[Bedford Roughyed]

Any predictions?

[ckn]

This looks like it'll be the least popular budget in my lifetime (that I can remember anyway).  I can't remember any budget just after an election where the Chancellor is being attacked by his own side, the opposition and virtually every "pressure group" I've seen.

The Telegraph is even reporting (behind its paywall so I won't link) Tory "briefings" that the Chancellor's pre-budget briefing had to be taken over by Number 10 because he was doing so badly at preparing it:
 

Quote

 

Theresa May’s relationship with Philip Hammond is close to breaking point this morning after No 10 was forced to take control of a last-minute Budget briefing amid fears the Chancellor’s latest financial statement will fall flat.

Downing Street ordered the Treasury to rush out an announcement on schools last night after alarm bells started ringing over what one Cabinet source described as “the worst budget build-up in history” ...

Mrs May finally appeared to have lost patience with Mr Hammond on Tuesday night after he fluffed his last chance to sell his Budget vision to the public.

A preview of his Budget statement, released to the media in time for 10pm news bulletins and national newspapers, was described by Tory MPs as “uninspiring” and contained no mention of Brexit.

Two hours later the Treasury performed an about-turn and announced extra money for teacher training and maths teaching following an intervention by Number 10.

 

This is the Number 10 that so effectively led us through the last general election...

The Sun is reporting that May can't sack Hammond for fear he'll do a Geoffrey Howe.  There's strong leadership then.  I suppose it is telling since today is the day in 1990 where Thatcher finally resigned.

[Bedford Roughyed]

Beat you by 6 minutes...  admittedly you wrote more...

[ckn]

Just now, Bedford Roughyed said:

Beat you by 6 minutes...  admittedly you wrote more...

I took too long over a cup of tea and two phone calls   I merged the threads though.

[Shadow]

9 minutes ago, ckn said:

I took too long over a cup of tea and two phone calls   I merged the threads though.

Mods abusing their power again 

[ckn]

It'd be nice if the Speaker held the government in contempt for leaking all of these budget details prior to the actual Budget statement, after all there is a duty to Parliament to release things there first.  It's getting rather silly now.

The latest one, the Tories promise to "eliminate rough sleeping by 2027".  It might just be me being ultra-cynical today but "eliminate" may not be the best word to use from the Tories...

[ckn]

1 minute ago, Shadow said:

Mods abusing their power again 

I really was tempted there to edit your post into something silly just then...

[Shadow]

6 minutes ago, ckn said:

I really was tempted there to edit your post into something silly just then...

I might do it myself to make you look unhinged by power 

[ckn]

The warm-up match for the Budget between Corbyn and May in PMQs is fun at least.  May looking punch drunk on the Brexit questions.

[ckn]

It'd be nice if May at least pretended to answer questions though.

[ckn]

4:1 to Corbyn but it's B-team standards at best from both.

[RidingPie]

1 hour ago, Bedford Roughyed said:

Any predictions?

That I'll be paying more tax and getting less public services, while they ignore closing the loopholes from the Panama and Paradise papers. As Pie said, its easier to be angry about these things than actually do something about them.

[ckn]

Inflation to outstrip growth by 1.5% (ish) for the next five years as growth forecasts written down significantly.

[ckn]

The SNP asking 140 times for the Scottish Police to be exempted from VAT has worked then.

[RidingPie]

Basic rate income tax threshold to rise to £11,850 in April next year.

Higher rate threshold to rise to £46,350.

[ckn]

£10bn of NHS one-off capital funding across Parliament.

£3.75bn in revenue funding for the NHS (£2.8bn for the English NHS).

A decent investment as long as it's not lies like last time.

[ckn]

That £10bn in capital is going to the Sustainability and Transformation Plans.  Those are the vehicles that are making the £22bn of cuts, the STPs need capital to actually do those cuts, including paying for closing hospitals, etc (see NHS thread and pages of it).  It won't be going to hospitals, GPs or any other areas where they're desperate for capital funds for long overdue refurbishments, etc.

[ckn]

Has Jezza Corbyn been on the lunchtime booze?  Slurring way more than I've heard him.

I think this budget response will test him as he really isn't a natural orator capable of the fast response a budget response needs.

So far, he just sounds like a ranting old man who doesn't understand what a government can and can't do.

[ckn]

Jezza just making things up now by saying the Tory general election manifesto disappeared from the Tory website.  It hasn't, I looked at it there last week...  It's still there today and the link is at the bottom of the page.

[ckn]

I started feeling very uncomfortable with Corbyn's speech but it's addictive stuff.  I admit I was wrong, he's building a credible narrative of objective statistics from places like the IMF to subjective stories from people in Britain.

[ckn]

And he's shut up the Tory hecklers with the stats about the "northern powerhouse".

[Shaggy]

Was there any more information about the 100% council tax for empty properties? As an evil landlord will I be penalised if my property is empty for a month between tenants or is it only for long term empty properties?

[Griff9of13]

A couple of observations on housing*

There are an estimated of up to 1 million unused properties in the country, yet there seems nothing here to encourage bringing unused/empty residential property back into use. In fact the change last year to stamp duty rules made it more expensive to buy run down property for redevelopment by small businesses like myself. Therefore I'd like to see the detail behind the plan to allow a 100% premium on council tax for empty properties. This could effect me personally if property under refurbishment is counted, adding further costs to an already risky business.

The irradiation of stamp duty for first time buyers on houses less than £300,000 is good news (though the houses I deal in are already beneath the current stamp duty threshold of £125,000).

 

* Declaration of interest; I run my own business buying dilapidated houses and ringing them back to a habitable standard.

[Gswan]

There are very few £300,000 pound houses round my way. 

[Griff9of13]

2 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

Was there any more information about the 100% council tax for empty properties? As an evil landlord will I be penalised if my property is empty for a month between tenants or is it only for long term empty properties?

Same here; Liverpool City Council already charge 100% council tax on empty houses. The give a paltry 25% discount if the empty property is provably unfit for habitation due to refurbishment.