Budget? Fudge it.

Lots on the budget elsewhere so I've just added a poll on the right hand side for you all to rate Darling's efforts.

A few quick thoughts:

The £2000 car discount. As expected they had to come up with some nonsense scheme that will apply to approximately 7 people. My money was on grants for geothermally powered lawnmowers but hey ho, you win some you lose some.

New top rate tax. A broken manifesto commitment (see SNP Tactical Voting for a good discussion thereon) and completely ineffective as the rich will either sneak around it or leave for greener pastures elsewhere. Sheer populism.

Fuel duty up. Disproportionate impact on rural areas (which tend to be poorer already). And will inevitably make everything that gets transported anywhere, i.e. everything, more expensive.

Alcohol duty up. Hard to square this with Labour's crticism of the SNP's policy - apparently that was flawed as the poor would pay proportionally more. And a blanket rise in duty does what exactly...?

Enough for now, go read the FT if you're still hungry ;o)