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This was the Budget of a man trapped by the terrible profligacy of his predecessor

Fraser Nelson

Wednesday, 12th March 2008

Fraser Nelson reviews the week in politics

This magician’s trick is simple: the thesis is the precise reverse of the truth. As Mr Darling unwittingly confirmed when he tore up the growth forecasts he made only five months ago, Britain’s economic growth is to fall at a sharper rate than anywhere else in the developed world. We are, in fact, the worst-hit of all such nations. British households are struggling with the highest petrol costs in Europe, the worst food inflation for a decade and a tax burden £5,300 higher per household than it was when Labour came to power.

And it gets worse. The borrowing Mr Darling now expects over the next four years will be £20 billion greater than outlined in the pre-Budget report. Rather than stimulate spending by cutting taxes, his Budget raised taxes — squeezing the North Sea even further as if exploration were not hit badly enough already. Each tax was given the moral camouflage of fighting perceived social or environmental problems. Drunks on Britain’s streets? Then beer will rise by 4p a pint, spirits by 55p a bottle.

The giveaways — or rebates — are almost too trivial to mention. A £12.5 million fund for women entrepreneurs, quicker access to Heathrow, a £60 million package for ‘skills’ — add all these together and they do not make a hundredth of the deficit Mr Darling has inherited. He has no room for manoeuvre, because Mr Brown spent during the years he should have been saving. As George Osborne has often said, Britain is not well-placed to withstand the global downturn. It is a country up to its neck in debt, at the mercy of what might happen next.

Yet Mr Cameron did not make this point in his response. Granted, he outclassed Mr Darling in eloquence (hardly a tall order), excelling even his usual high standards. He delivered a powerful destruction of an appalling record — distilling it into basic levels. People are asking, he said, ‘I’m paying more tax, so why is my maternity unit closing?’ He is wisely gravitating back to the Conservatives’ superb (but premature) slogan in the 2001 election campaign.

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Dwight Vandryver

March 13th, 2008 10:01am

With dreary predictability, Darling is starting to play the "green" card to raise taxation on anything that moves or is combustible. As usual, the hardest hit will be those on low fixed incomes and those marginally above the level to claim state benefits. The abolition of the 10% tax band will only exacerbate their troubles. So lads and lassies, you had better go on your packaged holidays abroad while you can still afford them, before the Great Green Scam cuts in. And don't forget to buy your booze and fags on your way back (that's if you want to come back). There is no "feel good factor" in Britain today, only cynicism.

bill

March 13th, 2008 4:19pm

I entirely concur with your analysis. The shame is that the over the last ten years the Tories failed to oppose Labour as hard as they should have. I have no faith in Cameron's don't frighten the horses approach. We cannot expect anything from a man who encouraed his party to give Blair a standing ovation for God's sake.