2009 Budget - why the delay?

[Viper_Larry]

Hope not a repost but search is down at the moment.

Why is the budget on April 22nd this year - normally it's late March isn't it? Why have the government postponed it - what are they up to?

[gingerpaul]

We're fecked and they're hoping for a miracle in the next couple of weeks?

[Mikey G]

So they can sneak 2p onto a litre of fuel?

[eccles]

They're just sorting out a few city types pay rises, once thats done they'll have a divvy up and sort the budget out.

[Skywalker]

...and none of the deafening 'leaking' / placing stories in advance of the announcement to Parliament and the Country.

[Simpo Two]

Budgets are for putting taxes up. However, they know that if they do that and anyone notices, there'll be a riot. Hence they'll lying low while figuring out a way to do it surreptitiously.

Hang on, there's 50p per unit of alcohol on its way - but that doesn't count because a doctor said it...

[FourWheelDrift]

gingerpaul said:

We're fecked and they're hoping for a miracle in the next couple of weeks?

It's to give them enough time to put what's left of the money into 6weeks worth of Eurolottery tickets.

[Dogwatch]

Same with any organisation in the financial doggy-doo. Bad figures take longer to produce than good ones.

[OllieC]

budget..

hah

I would like to see the accounts.

not that I would understand such things because I am a peon. But the very act of gubberment being accountable literally, with accounts ! yes i am drunk again

[Nolar Dog]

Simpo Two said:

Budgets are for putting taxes up. However, they know that if they do that and anyone notices, there'll be a riot.

No there won't. People are too lazy to riot and it's easier to sit and complain rather than "do".

[jeff m]

I think it is because they want it after the G8 (or is it G7)

[stormin]

jeff m said:

I think it is because they want it after the G8 (or is it G7)

- It's 2009 - isn't it the G9 ? - or is that a type of Mazda?

[thinfourth2]

I think the delay is badger trying to find an interest free credit card deal with a £100billion credit limit

[andy400]

It takes a long time to cook the books when the negative numbers are that big... Be patient.

[JagLover]

Because they know the public finances are F*cked and are trying to think of a psoitive spin to put on it for the public.

[Scraggles]

guess they are trying to spin the budget knowing that if they increase taxes too much no-one will vote for them

[mat205125]

Mikey G said:

So they can sneak 2p onto a litre of fuel?

2p fuel duty comes into effect on 1st April. Not been much in the news about it though.

If the budget were March, then any duty increases would have to mention this one, PLUS the planned additions. Delaying the budget until after the increase means that it would appear there will be only a single increase in duty during this budget period.

[Bing o]

Scraggles said:

guess they are trying to spin the budget knowing that if they increase taxes too much no-one will vote for them

No fkers going to vote for them anyway!!

[andy400]

Bing o said:

Scraggles said:

guess they are trying to spin the budget knowing that if they increase taxes too much no-one will vote for them

No fkers going to vote for them anyway!!

You hope.

If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that there's enough prejudices/stupid/selfish/easily-led people in this country of ours to make yet another term of Labour criminal mis-government a very realistic possibility.

[turbobloke]

Mandy appears to be hoping that the spin-off from G20, with Slackjaw and Obambi side by side, will give Winky an Obamabounce, allowing a summer general election. They'll want to get the preparation right, but at the moment it appears that the size and odour of the sh!thole the government have dug for us all is getting deeper and smellier by the hour, so HM Treasury data and forecasts are changing by the hour too - which apparently makes it difficult for Slugbrows' budget prep. Awww.