The Budget

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by zoombini

Cool, I fancy learning to fly

Nice, only it's followed by:

Just looked through the budget.pdf (well I told the PC to search it ) and it seems it's only local off-peak bus travel. Nothing like restricting the pensioners to only traveling certain times of the day is there

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I predict a long boring speech - which I will miss as I'm off to watch "Son of the Mask" instead.

You usually make a prediction before the event, not after. The speech was over before you posted which is why I missed it as I was expecting it later in the afternoon. That will teach me to use DigiGuide rather then rely on historical memory.

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

You usually make a prediction before the event, not after. The speech was over before you posted which is why I missed it as I was expecting it later in the afternoon. That will teach me to use DigiGuide rather then rely on historical memory.

Well you would have thought that some of the posts on this thread would have given the game away

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Paul

Well you would have thought that some of the posts on this thread would have given the game away

It would have if I had read them long before I posted.

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

It would have if I had read them long before I posted.

What You posted before reading the thread What is this forum coming to?

[Scarlett]

Originally Posted by Paul

Just looked through the budget.pdf (well I told the PC to search it ) and it seems it's only local off-peak bus travel. Nothing like restricting the pensioners to only traveling certain times of the day is there

local off-peak bus travel ???? whats that ?

Don't think I've seen any of that around here! (Start's at 9:30 and finish at 16:00 - so no good for the wife getting into work :-( )

[bob_builder]

Originally Posted by Scarlett

ocal off-peak bus travel ???? whats that ?

Don't think I've seen any of that around here, start at 9:30 and finish at 4:00 (so no good for the wife getting into work :-(

But 9.30am to 4pm is off-peak?

[Scarlett]

Originally Posted by bob_builder

But 9.30am to 4pm is off-peak?

Ah the problem is I work in telecoms, off peak = after 6 pm...

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by Scarlett

Ah the problem is I work in telecoms, off peak = after 6 pm...

If not later lol Don't think the government realises that quite a few pensioners in this country cannot afford to stop working because their pensions don't count for anything

[NitroNutter]

The question is, is it a good budget or not ?

IMO no not really, My family will benefit very little from anything mentioned so far, Child benefit increase will just come of my other benefit.
Car tax and fuel no change so no change except fuel is currently higher than a while ago.
Stamp duty threshold doubled, imo the amount increased by is absolutely useless really outside of scotland and wales.
Inheritence tax threshold up by an ammount not really worth mentioning

Pensions up some and about time too but of no use to me atm

Beer and wine increases will not really affect me much we dont drink a lot. Fags increase is bound to affect me somewhat.

About the best thing in the whole of this budget is, if its still there when my up n coming *chavs* reach that age they could in reality now consider staying on that extra year or two.

PS. the term *chav* is really not nice why do you all use it? and Im gonna hazard a guess its a Mancunian or similar northwards of me in the midlands expression ?

So am I happy with the budget? Nope not really
Was it an election bribing budget? imo nope but the majority will probably be fooled to think its really good

And finally could the tory's have done better ?

Take Mr Howard at his own words, Its "a pay later budget" indicating the tory's would certainly have made many more increases than Labour did.

Enjoy your new found wealth people

[Flubflow]

Originally Posted by Scarlett

I dunno, does white lightning qualify as Cider ???

The official budget sheet just says "typical strength".

Well they have certainly attempted to buy the pensioner's vote. Had no idea a vote was worth £200.00 . Am i correct this is a one off payment only in this Election year

[NitroNutter]

Originally Posted by Bill C

Well they have certainly attempted to buy the pensioner's vote. Had no idea a vote was worth £200.00 . Am i correct this is a one off payment only in this Election year

Not sure I think what theyve indicated is prospective council tax increases and re-evaluations will counter the £200 discount in future years

[bob_builder]

Originally Posted by NitroNutter

The question is, is it a good budget or not ?

I agree, I doubt it will affect me at all. It really is a "boring" budget but then it could all be changing in 50 days time, in any case!

[Flubflow]

What I want to know is where is this "continuing economic growth" that Gordon keeps telling us about every single budget. Why am I and most of my friends poorer (espeically the ones made redundant or forced out of business) since Labour came into power? Where is this growth in real life here at ground zero? It only seems to exist in Gordon's mind.