Soak the Old

So George Osborne has received a kicking in today’s press. That’s what happens when you try to disguise a tax-raising budget as a tax-cutting affair. This is also a fine lesson in press management. For when you leak everything else in the budget do not be surprised if the press – bastards hungry for novelty and all that – leap upon the sneaky little tax rise that you did not leak in advance. It’s that odd thing called “news”, you see. And, again, perhaps Osborne has been just a little bit too clever by half.

His so-called “Granny Tax” was a classic ploy of the kind oft-favoured by Gordon Brown, slipped into the budget and mentioned only fleetingly in the hope no-one would notice. It turns out that tinkering George is Gordon’s son and heir. At the very least Osborne should have made a proper argument for his decision instead of trying to finesse it so it seemed as though it weren’t what it actually is.