It wasn't the Lords that changed his mind, it's to get the support of Mercer, Foster, Fleiss, McPartland and a whole bunch of others in his leadership bid.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
If Osborne wants to be leader he needs to address two questions:
(1) his judgement: can he show his party he has the empathy and emotional antennae needed to be Prime Minister, not only in planning his big set-pieces but also in responding to events?
(2) the party writ-large: what does he offer to traditional social conservatives (like me) who fear that under his leadership the Conservatives would just become a fiscally dry New Labour?
At the moment, his manoeuvres seem to be about demonstrating competence in government outside the treasury and building a wide parliamentary following beholden to him sufficient to guarantee he gets to the final two.
That might be a necessary precursor to an Osborne victory, but it's not sufficient for it.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Reading some of the things about Universal Credit which kick in April 2017 - the expectation is 35 hours work.
Self Employed workers = "You will probably have your payments calculated as if you were earning at least at least 35 x the minimum hourly wage each week (depending on your ability to work and any caring commitments you have)"
Labour MPs are looking surprisingly glum after that tax credit announcement in the Chamber.
Despite joyful claims on Twitter from Labourites that this is a "big win" for them, it was more likely opposition from Tory MPs that forced George Osborne to ditch the plans.
Labour had been gearing up for a big attack on tax credits before today, demanding nothing short of full abandonment would do. They'll enjoy the headlines today -- but the hammer they were hoping to use to bash the Tories with for months to come has just been removed.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
I think this Autumn statement tells us he definitely wants the top job.
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
Not sure I agree... in this spending review there are no obvious cuts that affect me, particularly, as said young person.
I'm most concerns about the delivery, rather than promises, of new housebuilding.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
Does Osborne genuinely think that laughing at people losing their jobs and businesses going under is going to help save the Union or is he just playing to his own crowd of imbeciles watching on TV?
I think this Autumn statement tells us he definitely wants the top job.
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
Never. And you never U-turn.
It'll be dealt with by universal credit. It's a U-turn for what ? all of 2 years or so. £8 Bn to buy the votes of enough Tory MPs on the left of the party to comfortably get into the final two (Probably at the expense of Boris to boot)
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
I disagree - when you've comprehensively lost the PR war and your own side have wobble bottoms, it's better to cut your losses and find another route.
i think it was almost an entire PR fail that resulted in this, but we are where we are. UC will solve the issue anyway so not all is lost. And the 2500 stays IIRC.
I think this Autumn statement tells us he definitely wants the top job.
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
I think this Autumn statement tells us he definitely wants the top job.
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
Never. And you never U-turn.
Osborne is following the other Thatcher rule -- take advantage of a disunited opposition.
And if any pb Tories took note of my post-budget advice to prepare to reverse ferret on tax credits, they will realise Osborne is obeying yet another Thatcher rule in following her BFF economist, Milton Friedman, inventor of monetarism and, erm, tax credits.
Labour MPs are looking surprisingly glum after that tax credit announcement in the Chamber.
Despite joyful claims on Twitter from Labourites that this is a "big win" for them, it was more likely opposition from Tory MPs that forced George Osborne to ditch the plans.
Labour had been gearing up for a big attack on tax credits before today, demanding nothing short of full abandonment would do. They'll enjoy the headlines today -- but the hammer they were hoping to use to bash the Tories with for months to come has just been removed.
They know that none of it has anything to do with them. It is all about George and his leadership ambitions. And they have to sit through McDonnell's response, which will undoubtedly be horrific.
I think this Autumn statement tells us he definitely wants the top job.
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
Never. And you never U-turn.
Well in the case of Mrs Thatcher, that's rubbish. She regularly u-turned. Eg:
If Osborne wants to be leader he needs to address two questions:
(1) his judgement: can he show his party he has the empathy and emotional antennae needed to be Prime Minister, not only in planning his big set-pieces but also in responding to events?
(2) the party writ-large: what does he offer to traditional social conservatives (like me) who fear that under his leadership the Conservatives would just become a fiscally dry New Labour?
At the moment, his manoeuvres seem to be about demonstrating competence in government outside the treasury and building a wide parliamentary following beholden to him sufficient to guarantee he gets to the final two.
That might be a necessary precursor to an Osborne victory, but it's not sufficient for it.
I'm interested by your question 2. I'm not a social conservative so my instinct for this might be wrong but I guess that it would be almost impossible for Osborne, at this stage in his career, to win over someone of your persuasion? Would any offer he made not seem like obvious positioning for the leadership contest and be swiftly dismissed?
I think this Autumn statement tells us he definitely wants the top job.
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
Never. And you never U-turn.
Well in the case of Mrs Thatcher, that's rubbish. She regularly u-turned. Eg:
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
Not sure I agree... in this spending review there are no obvious cuts that affect me, particularly, as said young person.
I'm most concerns about the delivery, rather than promises, of new housebuilding.
Perhaps not in this statement, but the trend since 2010 is clear: tuition fees up, child benefit cut, child tax credits frozen, policies that stoke house price inflation pursued. Meanwhile pensioners protected and handed a gold plated increase in the state pension next year.
Having listened to the beginning of this speech it all seems to be a bit too good to be true. Considering it is supposed to be about massive cuts a lot of seems to consist of "investing in x" and "maintaining spending in y"
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
You think £6K per year is lavish? Really?
£8k a year really as anyone on the SP with no other income can claim Pension Credit and the assorted pensioner goodies.
Plenty of people on here have been attacking "scrounges" on half that level of tax credits in the last few months, so it is certainly seen as lavish for them. But somehow the elderly are uniquely virtuous when it comes to receiving welfare.
People are over-analysing the tax-credits U-turn. He just didn't have the votes - same as Ken Clarke's U-turn on VAT on domestic fuel back in the 90s.
That's how I see it. Too many Tory MPs were wary of it. Arguably the root of the problem was a failure to persuade the public though. Trying to push it through with a reluctant Parliamentary party, small majority, hostile public and HoL = fool's errand.
Osborne extends small business rate relief scheme for another year, helping 600,000 SMEs #spendingreview #as2015
The business budget has been slashed by 17 per cent. This is partly achieved by offering £165million of loans to companies, rather than the current grants.
Mr Osborne says that this is a practice currently undertaken in France.
Osborne extends small business rate relief scheme for another year, helping 600,000 SMEs #spendingreview #as2015
The business budget has been slashed by 17 per cent. This is partly achieved by offering £165million of loans to companies, rather than the current grants.
Mr Osborne says that this is a practice currently undertaken in France.
usual gimmicky crap
if he'd break up some of the mega banks and restore some good old fashioned competition the need for bankers to earn a salary would do the rest.
But he likes the Brownite settlement so won't change it.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
You think £6K per year is lavish? Really?
£8k a year really as anyone on the SP with no other income can claim Pension Credit and the assorted pensioner goodies.
Plenty of people on here have been attacking "scrounges" on half that level of tax credits in the last few months, so it is certainly seen as lavish for them. But somehow the elderly are uniquely virtuous when it comes to receiving welfare.
They vote Tory. George is looking after his client state.
£8k a year really as anyone on the SP with no other income can claim Pension Credit and the assorted pensioner goodies.
They can, but those haven't been ring-fenced.
But yes, you are right, the average pensioner does get a total of something like £8K per year in accordance with the promises made over half a century by successive governments regarding what National Insurance was supposed to be for. Clearly you think this is too much - 'lavish' in your words.
What do you think a fair state pension would be? Presumably a lot less, given how lavish £8K is. Care to put a figure on it?
Osborne extends small business rate relief scheme for another year, helping 600,000 SMEs #spendingreview #as2015
The business budget has been slashed by 17 per cent. This is partly achieved by offering £165million of loans to companies, rather than the current grants.
Mr Osborne says that this is a practice currently undertaken in France.
Hmm Why would you ever give a business a grant. Any business...
Having listened to the beginning of this speech it all seems to be a bit too good to be true. Considering it is supposed to be about massive cuts a lot of seems to consist of "investing in x" and "maintaining spending in y"
Despite the hype there never were going to be massive cuts, certainly nothing like the massive cuts that took place in Ireland. That's the trouble with the opposition hyping up "austerity", they make it all to easy for Osborne to step around their traps.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
You think £6K per year is lavish? Really?
£8k a year really as anyone on the SP with no other income can claim Pension Credit and the assorted pensioner goodies.
Plenty of people on here have been attacking "scrounges" on half that level of tax credits in the last few months, so it is certainly seen as lavish for them. But somehow the elderly are uniquely virtuous when it comes to receiving welfare.
It's not that they're uniquely virtuous. It's that (nearly) everyone expects to be a pensioner one day. Whether I'll get a triple-locked state pension must be open to some doubt, mind.
Does anybody actually believe this rubbish, especially given growth is predicted to be "normal"-ish levels, nothing out of this world.
The growth forecasts look perfectly realistic if we're to have no recession between now and then.
I don't disagree, I just don't buy the surplus. Where's it going to come from? The government deficit reduction is looking poor this year, and that is despite increased tax revenue. There is no real sign they are turning the taps off, and today we have the shelving of tax credits cuts.
Having listened to the beginning of this speech it all seems to be a bit too good to be true. Considering it is supposed to be about massive cuts a lot of seems to consist of "investing in x" and "maintaining spending in y"
Despite the hype there never were going to be massive cuts, certainly nothing like the massive cuts that took place in Ireland. That's the trouble with the opposition hyping up "austerity", they make it all to easy for Osborne to step around their traps.
Councils sitting on £1tr of assets that can be sold and 100% of proceeds spent locally.
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Financial insanity. Cutting spending on the young and lavishing it on the elderly.
You think £6K per year is lavish? Really?
£8k a year really as anyone on the SP with no other income can claim Pension Credit and the assorted pensioner goodies.
Plenty of people on here have been attacking "scrounges" on half that level of tax credits in the last few months, so it is certainly seen as lavish for them. But somehow the elderly are uniquely virtuous when it comes to receiving welfare.
Compare how much those pensioners have paid into the system relative to their benefits, and then do the same for your 'scroungers'.
This is all sounding very Brown-ian. Reversal of cuts, sweeties, and still the deficit will be eliminated on the back of normal sounding growth. Doesn't add up.
This is all sounding very Brown-ian. No cuts, sweeties, and still the deficit will be eliminated on the back of normal sounding growth. Doesn't add up.
'He says there'll be a 3% increase in stamp duty for buy-to-let properties and second homes, effective from next year. Corporate property development won't be affected.'
Osborne doing his bit for his chums with giant property co's.
''This is all sounding very Brown-ian. No cuts, sweeties, and still the deficit will be eliminated on the back of normal sounding growth. Doesn't add up.''
It won;t add up later in the parliament, when the public finances are seriously off course.
What a disaster this budget is, all for the career of one man!
If Osborne wants to be leader he needs to address two questions:
(1) his judgement: can he show his party he has the empathy and emotional antennae needed to be Prime Minister, not only in planning his big set-pieces but also in responding to events?
(2) the party writ-large: what does he offer to traditional social conservatives (like me) who fear that under his leadership the Conservatives would just become a fiscally dry New Labour?
At the moment, his manoeuvres seem to be about demonstrating competence in government outside the treasury and building a wide parliamentary following beholden to him sufficient to guarantee he gets to the final two.
That might be a necessary precursor to an Osborne victory, but it's not sufficient for it.
I'm interested by your question 2. I'm not a social conservative so my instinct for this might be wrong but I guess that it would be almost impossible for Osborne, at this stage in his career, to win over someone of your persuasion? Would any offer he made not seem like obvious positioning for the leadership contest and be swiftly dismissed?
(1) No, it's not impossible and (2) no, it depends.
I think the big ones would be his attitude to families, marriage, rural affairs, identity politics and, in particular, immigration. He has to tell a story that his conservatism is about more than just the money.
But, yes, if I smelt a rat and didn't believe him that would be a problem. It's up to him to convince the members.
Nine old Victorian city centre prisons will be sold off to provide more housing. The government will spend £1billion on building new prisons that are fit for purpose. Holloway prison, the biggest jail for women in Western Europe, is among those that will be shut. The Chancellor said the women prisoners will be housed in "more humane" conditions.
Comments
OMG this budget is all about Osborne's career....
From next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35, bringing it to £119.30 per week.
It marks the biggest rise in the state pensions for 15 years. Since the Tories came to power the rises have left pensioners £1,125 per year better off.
Brown would be quite at home announcing these measures...
(1) his judgement: can he show his party he has the empathy and emotional antennae needed to be Prime Minister, not only in planning his big set-pieces but also in responding to events?
(2) the party writ-large: what does he offer to traditional social conservatives (like me) who fear that under his leadership the Conservatives would just become a fiscally dry New Labour?
At the moment, his manoeuvres seem to be about demonstrating competence in government outside the treasury and building a wide parliamentary following beholden to him sufficient to guarantee he gets to the final two.
That might be a necessary precursor to an Osborne victory, but it's not sufficient for it.
This charlatan is the chancellor!
Self Employed workers = "You will probably have your payments calculated as if you were earning at least at least 35 x the minimum hourly wage each week (depending on your ability to work and any caring commitments you have)"
Osborne has broken the first rule of truly successful tory leaders. The Thatcher rule.
You never give in to 'experts', think tanks, newspaper columnists, lords, celebrities, assorted hand wringing lefties and other assorted bien pensant garbage.
Never. And you never U-turn.
I'm most concerns about the delivery, rather than promises, of new housebuilding.
i think it was almost an entire PR fail that resulted in this, but we are where we are. UC will solve the issue anyway so not all is lost. And the 2500 stays IIRC.
And if any pb Tories took note of my post-budget advice to prepare to reverse ferret on tax credits, they will realise Osborne is obeying yet another Thatcher rule in following her BFF economist, Milton Friedman, inventor of monetarism and, erm, tax credits.
They know that none of it has anything to do with them. It is all about George and his leadership ambitions. And they have to sit through McDonnell's response, which will undoubtedly be horrific.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/18/newsid_2550000/2550991.stm
Plenty of people on here have been attacking "scrounges" on half that level of tax credits in the last few months, so it is certainly seen as lavish for them. But somehow the elderly are uniquely virtuous when it comes to receiving welfare.
So George said (I paraphrase)
"Whilst [Alan Johnson] has been contributing to culture, the Labour frontbench have been contributing to comedy"
The business budget has been slashed by 17 per cent. This is partly achieved by offering £165million of loans to companies, rather than the current grants.
Mr Osborne says that this is a practice currently undertaken in France.
I believe implementation has been deferred by twelve months.
if he'd break up some of the mega banks and restore some good old fashioned competition the need for bankers to earn a salary would do the rest.
But he likes the Brownite settlement so won't change it.
Does anybody actually believe this rubbish, especially given growth is predicted to be "normal"-ish levels, nothing out of this world.
But yes, you are right, the average pensioner does get a total of something like £8K per year in accordance with the promises made over half a century by successive governments regarding what National Insurance was supposed to be for. Clearly you think this is too much - 'lavish' in your words.
What do you think a fair state pension would be? Presumably a lot less, given how lavish £8K is. Care to put a figure on it?
Holloway to close, underused courts to close, new prisons to replace. And as above BIS grants are gone in th main.
Housing budget doubled to £2bn a year.
you can't underestimate him enough.
No cut funding for adult education.
Savings of £600million made from the education services grant that goes to local authorities as more schools become academies.
By 2020 three million apprentices. HMG will spend twice as much on apprentices compared to when Tories first came into office.
A new apprentice levy of 0.5 per cent levy will be introduced for employers. The levy will raise £3bn a year to fund three million apprenticeships.
MPs not going to be pleased...
Faced with improving finances, Osborne has decided to do exactly what his mentor Gordon Brown would do.
Osborne doing his bit for his chums with giant property co's.
It won;t add up later in the parliament, when the public finances are seriously off course.
What a disaster this budget is, all for the career of one man!
I think the big ones would be his attitude to families, marriage, rural affairs, identity politics and, in particular, immigration. He has to tell a story that his conservatism is about more than just the money.
But, yes, if I smelt a rat and didn't believe him that would be a problem. It's up to him to convince the members.
PS. A very warm welcome to pb!
the OBR has given Osborne some more money and he has spent it. Never mind giving hard working people their cash back.
He has reverted to his Brownian instincts and blown an enormous opportunity.