Alistair Darling’s Budgets really should come with the words “subject to change” stamped across them. Darling has just done another u-turn, postponing the 2p rise in fuel duty. (In the Budget he announced that he was delaying its imposition until October, he has now delayed again.)
Darling’s quote explaining why he has done this is classic: “Today’s decision will help motorists and businesses get through what is a difficult time for everyone.” Indeed, Chancellor. The Labour party clearly feared how the public would react to a further hike in the price of petrol.
Given the money being funnelled to the victims of the abolition of the 10p tax band and today’s delay, the public finances are going to be in an even worse state than expected.
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