From the BBC Sell Off .

And we've got the budget to come tomorrow. Wonder if it'll be a case of 10p on a pint and £5 off a bottle of champagne? Well, it's only fair, isn't it.

Cider should be ok though, most of the Lib Dem seats are in the South West ... oo arr

And then there's VAT...

That will upset NFBF - £5 off for those champagne socialists - what's the world coming too.

Given the current financial mess you can look forward to a few years of pain I'm afraid!

EVERYONE will feel it i'm afraid,and let's make NO mistake,if Labour had returned to office,they,eventually would've had to make just as tough measures.I'ts funny now reading all the bloody dregs of the last Labour government coming out now and saying "It wasn't my fault,Gordon wouldn't listen about immigration."
"We told him to be honest about VAT,but he wouldn't listen"
Cue a lot of revealing books by Labour ministers coming out before Christmas.Oh,i forgot Alastair Cambells "New" version of his memoirs are already out,(GB doesn't come out of it very well!) Where is he these days?

I think you are spot on NFBF,Labour would have had to make drastic cuts to services just as the tories are doing.
But not straight away-The vast majority of economists are predicting that a slash and burn policy BEFORE we get out of recesssion will be disasterous-Labour had and always did say they would make cuts,the timing would have been put back though.
We shall wait and see if the ConDem policy will work.

Talking of books, I wonder if anyone will have to stoop as low as A Prison Diary volumes 1, 2 and 3 in the style of Jeffrey Archer?

I tend to agree, but what is more annoying is that the Tories would of done this anyway because of their political beliefs. They now have an "excuse" and with the help of their puppets in the Lib dems will send us into a greater resession.

The Country is on its a**e, but the Con/Dems are splashing out nearly £18,000 of tax payers money to re-stock the wine cellers of the House of Commons. No cut backs there then.

Well there are three Labour MP's who just might get the chance soon 3mm
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc...wCBCTKA0SpcrE3g

Dont know what circles you mix in Boggers, but thats 4 good bottles in Blacon that

A Tory peer is in that article too but, as usual, you choose to not mention that (sigh). The difference is, they're all innocent until proven guilty, whereas Jeffrey...

Good response to the budget by Harriet, she's quite right about the Lib Dems too. Amazing news about cider though

"Amazing news about the cider" Well the south east (whooo arrrrr) is a strong Lb Dem area, they have to keep them on side

I think it will more than that to keep the Lib Dems happy - party ready to fall apart over the next few years I say if they continue to be Camerons puppets.

I thought the budget was very fair.

Thanks to the Labour government this is going to be hard for us all, they appear to have got the balance right between increases for the more wealthy, yet protecting the poorer.

25% cuts across most government department fair? Vat increases fair?

Yeah! How else can we reduce the debt?

People need to look long term and think about the future of this country. Do we really want to become the next Greece?

VAT is a tax on luxury, most foods, childrens clothes etc are not effected so it shouldnt hit the less well off as much as it does the better off.

Also VAT is a far fairer tax than income tax, at least everyone pays it (including the people who are on welfare!!) and the more you spend, the more you pay!

Scrap trident replacement

Which in turn would cut thousands of jobs and devastate places like Barrow.

Instead of millions on the dole when the double dip resession hits? Thousands on the dole when the witch shut steel making at Shotton - not a problem for the Tories.

IF there is a double dip resession!

Its a fine line to walk between cutting enough, but not cutting too much, but I do believe he has got it right.

Having been up there for our Cup game last year, I can't even comprehend what Barrow would look like were it to be 'devastated' now!

I don't think it's a question of cuts and increases in revenue which we all know will happen but more of how quickly the debt is paid off. IMO for what it is worth as I'm no financial guru, the longer we take the better the chance of a full recovery - albeit we will end up paying more interest on the debt. Also we do not yet know what the full extent of the cuts will be - October I think it was said the spending review will be out with those 25% cuts being allocated.

I don't think any Labour supporter is a position of having ago at "Policies for certain areas" they made boundary changes deliberately to "catch in" Labour voters.
I can say little about the Budget,it's as fair as it can be in the circumstances,Labour could not have gone on putting the inevitable off for ever either.
We should all wait and see what effect it has on our OWN lives before complaining,i have two of my kids in the Civil Service,I'm a pensioner,so let's wait and see.Those on here with "social conciences" should sit down and consider how it effects them,do they mind paying more tax on a good salary,so as to make sure those who are not in such a priviliged position are hit the least.
It's easy for those on here to have a go at the current Government,but let's be honest,the country rejected the last Labour government,it wasn't certain what it wanted,but let's also remember,Labour offered the Libs a coalition deal,so there is no point in aristocrat/millionaire/publicly school educated Harriet Harman moaning now.
It's going to be hard for everyone,no amount of moaning on here is going to change anything,interesting to see one of the architects of our troubles,although relected doesn't even bother to turn up to parliament these days!
I see none of our lefties are commenting on the Labour leader election,two brothers with committed Marxist views,a woman who sends her son to a private school amongst others,should be interesting.

Groucho Marx's veiws maybe 2 serious questions I want to ask and they are genuine and not point scoring
1) No rise in fuel or ale - won't VAT on them increase ?
2) Pay freeze for 2 years on public sector workers for 2 years - does this include MP's ?

But at least Harriet Harmen got it spot on,23 Lib Dem MP's jumped into bed with the Tories to look after themselves,not the constituents who voted them in.
One Lib Dem MP said on the news last night,"How can i look my constituents in the eye,when i was elected on the promise of no rise in VAT"
Nick Clegg is nothing but a whore in a suit IMO

You should ask why then that Labour Minister Ed Balls encouraged voters to vote Lib/Dem "to keep the Tories out." perhaps if those who did, had voted Labour they might still be in power.To answer Andy's question MP's are civil servants,so it would apply.Don't know the beer question Andrew,as you know i'm a whisky man!
Some reasons for the Budget..

Helen Bikerdike-Casson will lose £545 a year in tax credits.Husband is a Mortgage broker in "the city" who earns more than £40,000 a year.(I bet he does!) Did they need it? Of course not!

An Afghan family (Single parentwith 7 children) live in a 7 bedroom house given to them by Ealing council two years ago,receive £150,000 a year in housing benefit.Do you honestly believe that this country can sustain this and numerous other similar cases?

A high earning NHS consultant who lives in a £1million house,earns £345 an hour and has properties in Dubai and a string of expensive cars,fraudently claimed £15,000 in housing benefit and job seekers allowance,one of thousands in this country who are at it,isn't about time this was stopped!

Lib Dem voters will be asking why the MP's they elected are now supporting policies which they strongly campaigned against in the run up to the election.

What they are doing under the guidance of Nick Clegg is, quite simply, disgraceful. He is no longer fit to lead the party.



The Tories, family butchers since 1679. Fresh cuts in store for you...

As I've said before the Lib Dems are now dead as a party - they no longer represent the ideals of Liberalism. A party that once stood proud of it's role in the formation of the welfare state and NHS is now part of a government that wants to destroy it.

What was the alternative? (Whilst we still awaiting Labours alternative Budget!) A minority Conservative government which would've been no good to the country at this time,i just wonder if Andy and 3mms opinions would've been the same had there been a Lab/Lib government,which was a possibility.And for 3mm to moan about cuts,if Labour had been returned they would've had to make cuts,either now or eventually,EVERYONE knows that! It is what is best for the country NOW that matters,i don't want my grandchildren inheriting this problem when they start work.
Otherwise i agree,the Liberal democrats will have problems,unless,the actions taken by the coalition show fruit by the next election,and let's all hope they do,otherwise we are all in trouble!
I hope this debate will be over when we all meet up in the Blues Bar for the first game and 3mm buys us all a drink!

We are emerging from a GLOBAL recession. Cutting support now, as the Tories are doing, puts the recovery at risk by choking the economy. Don't take my word for it, that's the IMF talking. The Tories are making too many cuts too soon and we will all suffer for it, even NFBF's grandchildren. They can perhaps console themselves with the thought that if they don't get jobs they can always go fox hunting. It's bound to be brought back even though the majority of the country are opposed to it.

Typically, despite all these cuts, they can still afford to give a £200,000 inheritance tax cut to 3,000 millionaires. Tory policy - for the few, not the many. Always has been, always will be.

I'm deffo looking forward to that first drink in the Blues Bar. The debate won't be over by then unless the Lib Dems regain their dignity and the coalition collapses. We won't talk politics though, we never do - just football

3mm I have repeatedly warned you that Labour would get a hammering in the General Election. This continued petty bitterness will not be tolerated.
Whoever won the General Election had one hell of a mess to clean up. It might take decades. Tough decisions have to be made.
Do you think the 2.6million unemployed suddenly arrived after Cameron and Clegg took office? They were there before the election sonny.
You'd have to be an @rsehole to think the coalition government weren't going to have to make cuts.
Don't blame the coalition. Blame your lot for the mess we're in. Or is it that old chestnut Maggie Thatcers' fault

Some people

Jesus Christ! It hasn't even been 2 months since the election and some people are criticising. What do these people expect in 2 months FFS!?

Who are these people trying to kid?

With you on that 3mm.
As for alternatives I agree with what 3mm again says. I've given up on the socialist revoltution under Labour so have to be content with managing capitalism in the best interests of the working man and his family. Paying back the debt is obviously a priority but not as quick or with brutal cuts as is proposed. If the Libs had joined Labour then I think it would of been better for policies but the gutter press would of kicked up such a stink then it would of been unworkable. The only 2 real options were the Lib/Dems selling their soul (which they have) or the Tories going it alone and another election in 6 months time. I personally do not think the coalition will last long anyway and if nothing else it will show the Tories up for what they are. Anyway role on the new season and adrink in that bar and football to discuss. Still going down on your bike NFBF? might join you on the cycle way if you are. Wobble our way home together after 3MM has bought us some drinks

3mm you know very well the Tories are offering a FREE vote on fox hunting,but i expect that that bill will be a long time coming.
You seem to have an obsession about the rich don't you?
If anybody in this country works hard and gives themselves a good standard of living,good luck to them,(i know one or two )if they make a million,even more good luck to them!
What did Labour do for the "Underpriviledged" got rid of the 10% tax rate,that's what.
I was listening to an out of work Welshman complaining on R4 about the Tories,he said he had been out of work and receiving benefits for 17 years,(Someone should tell him who was in power for 13 of those years!)
Don't listen to the BBC if you want a balanced view of the Budget by the way,,even more biased than usual.Lord Tebbit calls the BBC "The Guardian" of the airways,and i'm inclined to believe him!
I can't wait to see my old friend 3mm in the Blues Bar, when for sure we WON'T be talking politics,that's for sure!

Just hope one of us gets a programme at the first game cos we ain't gonna have a clue who's playing!

You been on the booze again??

Haha,i was thinking that!

But that doesnt apply if your a Labour MP though eh