Brown: I was once the learner but now I am the master
Thursday, March 17, 2005

There were some funny goings on in and around Gordon Brown's budget yesterday.

First up, persons unknown leaked major points of the budget to the Evening Standard.

And then there was chicanery in the Chancellor's statement which Eddie Mair quizzed John Healey, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, about on Radio 4's PM show last night.

In announcing the £200 council tax relief for pensioners, Brown forgot to mention that the payment is a one-off for this year - an election year - only.

What he also forgot to say when declaring that pensioners would get free bus travel was that the travel will be free in off-peak hours only.

Lastly, there was the announcement of the capital building project for primary schools - an announcement that has already been made. It looks like New Labour are going back to their old ways of making multiple announcements of the same money and leaving the impression that each announcement is a new injection of cash. The money for the capital building project isn't available for another four years either.

Leaks to the press and lying by ommission? Tricks more worthy of the Chancellor's next-door neighbour.

And Gordon Brown is supposed to be the saviour of the Labour Party. Good luck with that guys.


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