Blog 2023 Malcolm Blair-Robinson

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Politics now operates to a new and different dynamic. When something of little public interest is afoot, not much has changed, but when a budget and an election combine then this new dynamic swings into action. It is the power of social media and the revolution in smart phone communication among peer groups, blogs and commentators. Thus it is that the entrails of the budget will be exposed in ways which never happened before. And after the triumph of its delivery which made Osborne look as if he might have won the election for Cameron, the aftermath of testing comment and opinion may indicate that he could have lost it.

The new benefits to savers and the tax on bankers are popular for sure, but now there is a creeping fear about the fact that so much depends on forecasts and that the most immediate, the cuts to public spending to come after the election if the Tories win, are described as a roller coaster by the OBR and potentially frightening to floating voters in key marginals who rely on public services and state help even if they are in work. More time will be needed to see if Osborne has indeed produced the winning brew, but the signs after the first few sips taken in the last twenty-four hours should cause anxiety at Tory H.Q.