The Budget

"Given the NHS has to face #coronavirusuk with a record shortage of nurses & the care sector with over 120,000 vacancies, does the PM not agree that the three Tory governments since 2015 should have fixed the roof when the sun was shining?" - @EdwardJDavey #PMQs #Budget2020 t.co/h7zh4PCFhm

Superb question, well delivered- highlighting the neglect of this and previous Tory governments.

Style over substance? Time will tell.

Superb speech, well delivered. He is in the running for the next Prime Minster stakes. To see someone as personable and well spoken representing our country on the international stage after the last half dozen or more incumbents would be a distinct improvement.

However, words and appearance are all very well. What he now has to do is deliver the goods - and that is a lot more difficult - and I am not totally convinced.

I actually had a sneaking agreement with jeremy Corbyn when he spoke of 'smoke and mirrors'. Lets see what actually gets delivered.

I thought Mr Sunaks delivery was excellent. Clear and well explained, some moments of humour but what I liked best was his acknowledgement of the work of his colleagues. What money tree he has found I have no idea but overall it sounded hopeful.

Sadly Urmstongran the Autumn will be far too late for many in the social care system, who have a far higher rate of mortality than the general population, and are receiving inadequate or no care at present.

Of course it should be a cross party discussion, but the issue has been evaded for too long, I guess for cost and political reasons, and now I fear it is too late.

Is this how our society has evolved, lacking in compassion and humanity and the survival of the fittest?

It’s hard to be optimistic, the Government is indeed doing what it thinks is best for the U.K. economy, yet the value of Sterling is falling against the Dollar and the Euro.
Corona virus is affecting all countries, for sterling to be doing worse than other currencies is not a good sign, a recession alongside Brexit is just what the UK did not need.

It's interesting that those who are supporters of the government can only praise the Chancellor's delivery but have little to say about the actual content. At least he was coherent, unlike the PM!

I agree that social care should be a cross party decision . We all know there is a problem and it’s too big for one government/ party to tackle alone . Measures will have to be taken that won’t be popular with many people .

I believe the social care issue is going to a cross-party discussion so the government is waiting until Labour finally, eventually elect their new leader.

The government can’t win! If the spending plan was very restrained there would have been howls of outrage from the left wouldn’t there?

Please try some optimism folks!
We have a strong government with a healthy majority trying to do its best for our country.

I don’t think it went far enough to help business . I would like to have seen immediate SSP rolled out to any illness and to enable small businesses to claim the costs back as it used to be instead of having to foot the bill ourselves . I would also liked to have seen a reduction in employers NI in areas such as here in the NE with the highest level of unemployment in the country .

One of many million I suspect Davidhs. It just happens that he's in the public arena----many aren't.

It will apparently be announced in an autumn budget Greeneyedgirl.

Compare us with Italy who are not admitting the elderly with coronovirus to ICU beds.
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I am amazed that social care was not mentioned. There is an immediate crisis in social care as I know only too well because my elderly mother is in the system. Over the next few weeks I can see social care moving from crisis to disaster, and of course there is a knock on effect for the NHS.
I wonder if the elderly are being thought of as dispensable, and disposable?

Being a leftist must be such a miserable and exhausting experience, even when things go your way you have to pretend to be outraged.

The level of investment Sunak has committed to is remarkable, I’m looking forward to seeing how it pans out over the course of the parliament.

Oh but paddyanne the financial system is not like managing a household, didn't you know? Heavy irony here. If the Labour Party had produced a similar budget, all hell would have let loose. I agree about a coming recession but that's ok, they'll blame the nasty EU for not falling over backwards and giving us a deal better than actually being a member of the community.

Corbyn’s inevitably critical response was almost embarrassing to listen to

erm, it's the job of an opposition to offer a critical response! Unfortunately, there is almost no opposition in this country at the moment which is quite dangerous for democracy, that value that appears to be so important to some.

Still, with the country in the hands of an investment banker and a network of ex public school boys and their unelected advisor, dear old Dom, what is there to be worried about! (Irony here, one appears to need to point this out on GN).

Didn't they say the debt had been going down...from 800 MILLION to 2 .3 TRILLION since 2008 is hardly a financial success,and it will get worse under the tories.Anyone who refuses to see the implcations for the future is wearing their tory blinkers.There will be a massive recession ahead and thats before he adds the extra expenditure he announced but didn't calculate into his budget .The bad news for the devolved nations is they plan to put treasury offices into all 3 of us ..direct rule will be next if we dont escape this mess quick

Wonder why Corbyn responded - isn’t it usually the Shadow Chancellor’s job?

I am also impressed with the new Chancellor so far.
There was a lot riding on this Budget wasn’t there, and he had such a short time to put it all together.

There is definitely a feeling of energy and optimism in the government which is just what we need.

Corbyn’s inevitably critical response was almost embarrassing to listen to.

EllanVallin, Sunaks family have made a lot of money. Off the backs of the poor in India and other developing countries.

What a change to see such a pleasant, forward-looking young man instead of some of the stick in the mud fuddy duddies that there have been.
Sunak is a man of the world with a better understanding of the economy and businesses apart from them making oodles of money he's got a more humanistic approach. Well done that man.

Sunak has proved to be a good performer no doubt and if we get a good Brexit deal we are set for a good future. The downside is that failure will mean sterling falls to new lows, does that matter?.

Imports cost more, overseas holidays cost more, maybe that’s a price we are willing to pay for being rid of EU, oh, and the currency traders will make millions selling sterling.

£600bn is a lot, probably enough to build a tunnel to Ireland as well!.

Urmstongran, yes I believe we all can be at one on the budget as it exceeds even the Labour Party plans for spending of the last election in many areas.

We had all better hope that interest rates remain low worldwide though, and the coronavirus outbreak does not send the economy into recession.

This is as much a gamble for the Consevatives as it would have been for Labour if they were in power, but yes I am pleased that austerity is really over.

Now, how about something in regard to those on Zero hours contacts and those having to work in the GiG Economy for then we will have a true socialist government. ?

Hear hear Urmstongran ??A great budget and a great delivery speech by Sunak.?
Sour grapes by some on here! It’s a better budget than they anticipated.?
Austerity is over....T May said that last year and Johnson is backing that up.We need a new direction with Brexit and time
For some optimism which is not to be sneered at.....as a country we need to be brought together and to look forward to better things.Sunak got the tone and timing for these new measures absolutely right, including all to do with Coronavirus.

You’re probably right in some respects Grandad1943 in which case, if Sunak has pinched a few of McDonnell’s ideas the outcome ought to be that we are ALL happy with this Budget!
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I thought £billions had been pledged varian for green issues! Not enough for you?