[Norfolkadam]

So you can see how the budget affects you and what's in it. I won't post links because I'll get criticised be they from the Guardian, BBC or Daily Mail. You all know how to use the internet and there's no point in voting / discussing in this thread if you don't know what it's about.

So, what's the overall view on the budget. Poll included above.

[lambert1]

Neutral. No effect on me at all.

[AlexInWonderland]

Despite a lot of scaremongering, it appears to be beneficial for the average working family by reducing their income tax.
As far as I can see, this budget harms only smokers, people loosing child benefit (who are lets be honest, pretty well off, and this is an improvement on the original plan) and the pensioners short-term loosing out in the income tax situation (but the increase in state pension should counteract this for most people.)

I seen nothing particularly worth complaining about. If the tax avoidance measures and property taxes counteract the income tax cut for those earning over 150k, then there is no valid reason whatsoever for people to argue against it.

From todays papers though, this has not been well received, particularly the freeze on income tax for pensioners. Oh and not cutting fuel duty; but let's remind ourselves increases have been frozen multiple times and it was cut last budget. Under Labour fuel would be 4p a liter more expensive at the moment.

[Llamageddon]

I don't drive, I don't smoke, I'm not about to retire, I get a little bit more from the tax bracket move but will probably spend that on tax in greggs anyway.

[Sdiff]

Broadly good. I'd like to see more spending cuts: as a nation we currently spend too much. I'd like to see spending cut by 25%+ (not all at once obviously)
However, I'm happy that the 50p tax rate was at least dropped to 45p. This as well as the corporation tax cut should theoretically reduce any "brain drain" and increase "brain gain", as well as encouraging hard work.

[prog2djent]

Neutral, Hurts Medium sized business/growing small businesses, helps entrepreneurs and start ups, helps larger corporations, hurts pensions, hurt those who sponge off child benefit (total win), undecided on the pension age thing, undecided on the pension freeze at £10,000, though I think that will do more good than not. Income tax is very progressive within it too. Still can't agree on VAT and fuel.

[jacketpotato]

I am concerned by what was announced with the Post Office Pension Fund. Osborne is taking £28billion of assets from the fund while taking on £38 billion of future liabilities which are not shown in the debt statistics. Its a pretty bad accounting fiddle.

[checkolad]

,TSR!

[CandyFlipper]

I said broadly bad, even though for me personally it makes me better off as I'm on a very low income and I don't smoke tobacco.

I like the corporate tax being reduced as a quicker pace, hopefully the plan is to make it 20% by the end of this parliament and have it in line with the main rate of income tax. He did kinda imply that this was the case. The current plan would leave it at 22%, which just seems stupid to me. By the time you're there, you may as well make the system a lot more simple.

Glad they had the balls to do the right thing and remove the 50p rate, shame they didn't reduce it to at least 40p. Politically it's difficult for the Tories to do, though.

What really pisses me off is that we still have hardly any spending cuts. Forget the tax stuff for a minute - we're still borrowing huge amounts and the debt is increasing. I want to see the debt actually go down, especially with all our unfunded future liabilities to worry about. We don't seem to be preparing for the future at all. I'm ok with a tax neutral budget in the short term - but the spending cuts really should be a lot deeper.

And the ciggies thing just pissed me off, a lot. They already pay so much more in tax than they cost the NHS, leave smokers alone ffs. About 80% of the price of a pack is tax now, thats insane.

[CandyFlipper]

(Original post by jacketpotato)
I am concerned by what was announced with the Post Office Pension Fund. Osborne is taking £28billion of assets from the fund while taking on £38 billion of future liabilities which are not shown in the debt statistics. Its a pretty bad accounting fiddle.

Yeah, I should have mentioned this too. It's a total shambles and surely just shouldn't even be allowed!

[Rakas21]

I put broadly good from a Tory student viewpoint.

The 50% rate was abolished, the personal allowance went up and corporation tax came down.

How was this paid for? Hot food, old people, cigarettes and gambling. Not sure whether i agree with hot food but i do agree with the others.

Pretty pleased really.

[Mechie]

I don't know how anyone can say it's excellent or terrible without being incredibly partisan. It was a bit of a nothing budget, some bits I agree with, some bits I don't. So I'm fairly neutral. This is from someone who generally supports Labour as well.

[Birchington]

Although the raising of the basic tax threshold was progressive, the reduction of the 50p tax rate was not. Osborne should have acted to reduce fuel duty and VAT as well. Given the economic circumstances, however, the Budget should be broadly welcomed.