Budget 2007

Today we're taking a break from the taste test to focus on the not so tasty Gordon Brown. Yes, today was budget day. I have trouble relating the budget to real life, but I've found the following two online calculators which kind of help.

BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/business/budget_calc/html/budget_calculator.stm

The Sun -
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2007070001-2007130189,00.html

I think what makes the budget so hard to understand is all the fighting between the political parties. Take the 2 pence drop in income tax for example. Gordon Brown smiled smuggly as he dealt this apparent trump card, but with the 10 pence starting rate of income tax being abolished - this would seem to be cancelling out any financial boost for the average Joe Bloggs. A point which the Conservatives are more than enthusiastic to point out. So, what are we to believe is this a good thing, or a bad one? It seems it depends on factors too numerous to even contemplate investigating!

Want to know more, try this helpful guide from The Guardian: http://business.guardian.co.uk/budget2007/story/0,,2039286,00.html

Want to get really in depth? Check out the full report:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_067074