The Chancellor Alistair Darling delivered his last Budget speech before the general election… and there were very few surprises. He knew that he had very little room for manoeuvre.
Here are some of the main points:
- Petrol duty to go up 3p, in three stages over the next year.
- Beer, wine and spirits duties will go up by two per cent from Sunday.
- Stamp Duty scrapped for homes below £250,000.
- Government borrowing is forecast to be around £167million.
- A new £2billion investment bank to back green businesses.
- Winter Fuel Allowance rates extended for the next fiscal year.
- Child Tax Credits will rise by £4 in 2012.
Not much on tackling the huge national debt. Few real measures to tackle unemployment. Very little funds on repairing our potholed-filled roads. No plans to slash defence spending. Once again, this government simply didn’t get it. For the next year at least the country will be in a sort of suspended animation as real priorities on dealing with the mess this country is in will be put off yet again.
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