The budget today so......

I missed it mainly, and have only caught up with snippets online and some relevant parts in the paper afterwards. Missed the King John bit, will have a look for it.

I thought that too roses he didn't have anything really to say about the budget just more of the same old, same old.

Was I the only one who thought the reference to King John was funny?

Don't be so unkind to Gromit, roses, he is a very astute dog.

It was a very fair budget I thought, and quite a few things for us oldies at long last. However, nobody should expect too much given the mess that this country [amongst others] was in a few years ago, and that Labour seem to have conveniently forgotten about.Good to know that the country as a whole is getting economically viable again.Ed Miliband was truly pathetic replying to the budget and was like an over excited 6th former at a debate. What Labour needed was a devastating but measured answer to George Osborne's budget, did Ed look like a future leader to you?He is looking and acting more and more like Wallace with Ed Balls as his Gromit.The leader of the opposition needed to be serious, the budget and our economy is a serious business, but he had nothing worthwhile to say.

(My post was in reply to ginny, and what I meant was that it would be fair if this were to happen, not that it is in fact happening. )

They should be able to pass on more of their unused tax allowance to their partners as they don'tneed the childcare tax relief.

Thank 'ee kindly, yer lordships, fer lettin us pezzants 'ave a few crumbs from under yer honours table. We'ze all very grateful coz we noze our place and doan unnerstand all thet budget stuff but we noze yore posh banker mates deserve awl you give 'em and that we'ze awl werry lucky to 'ave you looking after our pennies. Thank 'ee awl agin!

In the meantime, as the country is now doing so much better under your excellent stewardship, kindly return my portion of all that unused quantitative easing money and lost savings interest you insisted on taking from me to help bail the old country out of the mess that you made a lot worse. A stamped addressed envelope is enclosed.

Grant Shapps is an embarrassment. He's the one who was running a get rich quick scheme that was on the borders of legality, under an assumed name. Such a fine example to have as party chairman.

Anyone else wonder why stay at home Mums loose out on the child care relief ? Ok, they don't need to pay for childcare but just because they choose to look after their own children doesn't necessarily mean they are well off. Maybe they give up a lot of other things to be with their children

And yes, I know some people don't have the option of giving up things even if they are out of the home working but there are a lot that could.

Yes, what an idiot. He missed a trick there, he should have insisted on George including VAT relief on vest tops which will be strained over all those beer bellies.

All parties have their liabilities. However, he is the Chairman!

Standing in front of the headmaster as we speak I hope.

Maybe I should apologise to the Chancellor, which goes against the grain, so I won't. The twit that tweeted that poster about bingo and beer was Grant Shaps. Not very surprised. Danny Alexander's first impression of it was that it was a spoof!

Not a problem I just thought you may know a "Grace" and think you were talking to her.

Sorry Gracesgran didn't mean to offend. I do tend to abbreviate quite a lot of names but if it offends I won't do it again.

Money has never had anything to do with my choice at voting.
I stopped voting Labour because of their immigration policies.
The same apples to this government, plus, what they are doing to the NHS.

I'm not Grace Nonnie I am Grace's Gran (not that I mind but I thought you might think I was someone else.

Interesting that the shares have gone back up. I am quite sure it will make them more competitive but they should have done it earlier.

Would you believe it, he reduced the tax on bingo and beer so that working people can enjoy the things they like doing. How patronising can he possibly get

That thought went through my head as well - maybe he should have removed VAT on flat caps and whippets while he's at it ...

I heard that about the annuity providers Grace but I just checked Aviva's share price which was 465.2 on 4th March and is 490.6 today. Perhaps something happened to make it rise before Wednesday but as a shareholder I am not unhappy. I'm sure the annuity providers will come up with competitive alternatives.

How interesting to read all your comments.

I love Experigran's comment on wishing she smoked. I feel like that about PPI and CPP paying back for miss-selling. Sadly I worked out they weren't for me but I don't really understand why I mind that I am not getting any of the loot that is being handed out.

It looks as if there will be some limits to what you can do with your pension pot - no doubt we will see more in the weekend papers. I notice the announcement has wiped £5 billion off the shares of the 5 biggest annuity providers - it couldn't happen to a nicer group.

The child care allowance does seem to be a good move and may save some Grannies being completely worn out supporting children at work . I wish they had made it universal as everyone paying into NI should feel it is for them too.

Raising the personal allowance will now mean that pensioners getting the lower age allowance move at the same pace as those of working age and it is an actual increase for any pensioners born after April 1948.

Not a bad budget all round in my opinion and I don't really expect more than not bad

Oh I stand corrected. It seems that I will benefit from the budget afterall. The fuel in my car will not be going up (although not going down either so I do not think this actually counts as a benefit directly).

Perhaps I will take up Bingo.

Is that it. All that can be spoken of is the tax on beer and bingo.

It was a good budget then. Besides which there had been 'representation' by Labour and Conservative MP's in Parliament asking for the taxes to be looked at as jobs were being lost and the industry was suffering.

You may not like it on a personal level but the bigger picture is what is good for jobs and industry and finances of the country as a whole.

By the way what one person finds patronising another person won't. For example I could find the comment 'so that working people can enjoy the things 'they' like doing' patronising. Having said that I have said I find the Champagne Socialist the biggest hypocrite of all times so I suppose I am now calling myself patronising.

Of course it was vote catching, that's what they all do at this stage of a parliament.

There was something for all tax payers, the allowance is going up by £500. Also petrol is not going up and neither is alcohol both of which affect most of us even if we don't have a car. Even a non driving, non tax paying teetotaller will gain from the fuel not going up as when it goes up it gets added onto everything we buy.

What the next government does at the beginning of its parliament will be far more telling.

Amended post:

Just to say that the tax relief on child care is going to help a lot of lower paid workers, although it is not going to be means tested.

Just to digress slightly.
Does anyone remember 'buy broom besoms' by the Watersons?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

It seemed to be aimed only at the slightly better off older people. Whose votes they want to keep. Nothing for poorer people.