At last, at long long last, gosh it took a while, hard work, but it was worth it, never thought I'd see the day .....

We need more people like you working on the inside(as long as they don't allow themselves to get corrupted) from the top down, & people like me working from the ground up & should they ever meet in the middle, both sides can shake hands at a job well done!

I've always known & always tried to maintain that postition, but unfortunately, due to baiting from yourself & Bernie, I no longer trust you. So with attitudes like that from both of you, just how can a decent citizen in this country, or Europe wide, trust people such as yourself in power?

Edit: Oh & for someone who doesn't have the time to watch children's TV....

.....your starter for 10.....

---

At last, at long long last, gosh it took a while, hard work, but it was worth it, never thought I'd see the day .....

We need more people like you working on the inside(as long as they don't allow themselves to get corrupted) from the top down, & people like me working from the ground up & should they ever meet in the middle, both sides can shake hands at a job well done!

You sure about it being balanced? Absolutely certain? Quite sure in your own opinion that it is balanced?

Sigh ..... In others opinions who know better yes, in my own I think so.

as I just don't have enough knowledge to comment upon these matters on my own, without quoting other peoples opinions

I am hoping in the future to answer yes, yes, and yes to your question.

Now that's an excellent reply. Why? Simply for the fact that you've realised that there are gaps in your knowledge & that you intend to rectify that gap. The only good genius is a dead one, for the simple fact is that genius has stopped learning.

While alive, one can only attain the "status" of an expert! You've often stated that we tend to be working for the same things with you on the inside working out & I on the outside working in. Sorry I think that's the wrong view.

We need more people like you working on the inside(as long as they don't allow themselves to get corrupted) from the top down, & people like me working from the ground up & should they ever meet in the middle, both sides can shake hands at a job well done!

---

You sure about it being balanced? Absolutely certain? Quite sure in your own opinion that it is balanced?

Sigh ..... In others opinions who know better yes, in my own I think so.

as I just don't have enough knowledge to comment upon these matters on my own, without quoting other peoples opinions

I am hoping in the future to answer yes, yes, and yes to your question.

WOW! Lacklustre responses? Really?

Not a paradox, just typical press rhetoric by those that don't understand a balanced budget.

I really am seriously thinking of taking an FE course in economics, as I just don't have enough knowledge to comment upon these matters on my own, without quoting other peoples opinions. Is QE a good thing, should we have more of it? I don't know, and it irks me that I don't.

You sure about it being balanced? Absolutely certain? Quite sure in your own opinion that it is balanced?

---

In this modern world one has to keep on ones toes and be flexible, but unlike some apparently, I don't have the time to watch children's TV. But in that context, I would suggest that I have more probably just returned from being back to the future, and guess what? Labour are still in opposition!

It seems a day for lacklustre responses, having just heard Ballsy's one, and now read yours. What a refreshing change to listen to Business Secretary Cable, who clearly has a greater grasp of Economics than the Shadow Chancellor.

A paradox is contradiction of terms i.e. "This statement is false"; the statement cannot be false and true at the same time. In the Budget commentary by some, they are referring to tax handouts on the one hand and spending cuts on the other. Not a paradox, just typical press rhetoric by those that don't understand a balanced budget.

Have you accidently slipped out of that children's programme "Timeslip" by any chance?

You seem to have popped into the 21st century from the 1850's!

Budget more positive than what I say it is? Really? Then pray tell how "officials" are calling it a "Budget of Paradoxes"!

---

Well old chap, you seem to be becoming increasingly marginalised in your views. Even your own favourite rag seems to think it was a lot more positive than you apparently do. I was musing this morning upon what newspaper you would be happier reading, and upon reflection it appears to me, that you could usefully defect to the Daily Mirror.

Taking that thought process one stage further, I wondered what country in the world you might prefer to live in rather than the UK, where you are clearly unduly influenced by Jim Henson productions. Germany wouldn't work given your dislike of the Mekon, France came to mind but Hollandaise Sauce (© Chris S) would probably preclude it. Most of Europe seems out. How about moving to the Isle of Wight and declaring UDI, that could be an option. Or even buy a WWII offshore fort, it worked for Sealand.

But back to more important press matters. The Speaker in the Commons has just announced that the abject apologies from the London Standard regarding the Budget leaks of yesterday have been broadly accepted. But that in view of the seriousness of the matter, the practice of giving supposedly confidential early briefings of budget content is now under review. Serve them right if it gets stopped.

Sigh .... So somebody at the BBC website makes a typo, and that is all you can find comment upon about the Budget, that affects every person in the UK for the next 12 months? Any opinions upon :-

Good

Corporation tax cut from 21% to 20% Tax cut for the rich
Planned fuel duty rise cancelled could have knocked at least 2p off the cost
Alcohol duty rises cancelled Bad News, should've gone up
Scrapping the alcohol tax escalator Incorrect - check again
Price of beer down by 1p a pint. Bad, should've gone up
£10,000 income tax threshold a year early, in 2014 Depends on what hidden surprises in store later this year
Small businesses get £2,000 allowance before paying employer NI Good
An extension of shared equity housing schemes.
£2.5bn of spending on infrastructure. Is that all you could afford Ossie? Charity begins at home - cut foreign aid!
parents able to claim back up to £1,200 a year for each child - or 20% of childcare costs - from 2015. Bad - who from? The taxpayer?

Not so Good

Growth in 2013 would be 0.6% - half the 1.2% he predicted four months ago.
Revised forecast for UK's national debt to rise to 85% of GDP and not start coming down until 2017/18 - a year later than previously predicted.
Unemployment climbing by 7,000 to 2.52 million between November and January
UK loss of Triple A rating with credit agencies
OBR says some of £11bn Whitehall underspend is "payments due to be made late in current year...delayed into 2013/14" - ie not real cuts

---

Sigh .... So somebody at the BBC website makes a typo, and that is all you can find comment upon about the Budget, that affects every person in the UK for the next 12 months? Any opinions upon :-

Good

Corporation tax cut from 21% to 20%
Planned fuel duty rise cancelled
Alcohol duty rises cancelled
Scrapping the alcohol tax escalator
Price of beer down by 1p a pint.
£10,000 income tax threshold a year early, in 2014
Small businesses get £2,000 allowance before paying employer NI
An extension of shared equity housing schemes.
£2.5bn of spending on infrastructure.
parents able to claim back up to £1,200 a year for each child - or 20% of childcare costs - from 2015.

Not so Good

Growth in 2013 would be 0.6% - half the 1.2% he predicted four months ago.
Revised forecast for UK's national debt to rise to 85% of GDP and not start coming down until 2017/18 - a year later than previously predicted.
Unemployment climbing by 7,000 to 2.52 million between November and January
UK loss of Triple A rating with credit agencies
OBR says some of £11bn Whitehall underspend is "payments due to be made late in current year...delayed into 2013/14" - ie not real cuts

What price professionalism now?

Budget on front page before Chancellor even speaks

Yep, what price professionalism? At least book publishers have editors & proofreaders (mistakes still slip through but not this often!)......

Budget - NI cut to boost jobs

"The change is being called the Employment Allowance, which the chancellor described as "a tax off jobs". To take advance of the allowance, firms will simply have to inform HM Revenue & Customs".

Shouldn't that read "Advantage"?

---

Think you need to take the advice below before you have a coronary....

---

It was of course referred to in Millibands response, but it is most certainly not a laughing matter.

Budget decisions are supposed to be secret before the chancellor speaks. The newspaper apologised for what it called a "very serious mistake" and removed the online image. Evening Standard editor Sarah Sands said she was "devastated" by the error, which saw the newspaper's front page published on Twitter before Mr Osborne started speaking.

She told the BBC: "It is an arrangement we have had through successive governments and has always worked. We publish after the Budget. "This was not online and we had not imagined that it would be tweeted by a very young and inexperienced journalist. I am writing to the Speaker and chancellor now with deep apologies."

And the press simply cannot see why legislation has to be brought in ....

What price professionalism now?

Budget on front page before Chancellor even speaks

---

Good post.

Thank you.

However, why do you regularily use the same old cliche?
Those that squeal the loudest probably have the most to lose or hide.

I don't believe that I regularly do use those words, but in terms of the press, which they were aimed at, I think that is probably a fair comment.

Latest

And why should the internet be exempt?

Good post.

However, why do you regularily use the same old cliche?

Those that squeal the loudest probably have the most to lose or hide.

---

A number of national newspapers are taking "high-level legal advice" about whether to co-operate with a new press watchdog established by royal charter and backed by legislation. The publishers of the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Times, the Telegraph, the Daily Star and the Daily Express said they would wait to make a decision.

They complain they were not represented in a meeting at which the three main political parties struck a deal. Press reform campaigners were there. But Chris Blackwood, editor of the Independent, told BBC News: "We don't think it's too bad - it could have been a lot worse." He added: "I think we have to recognise the mess the industry got into. I mean, the industry did some very bad things and our existing regulator just wasn't up to the task."

Had the press been there they would simply have scuppered the talks for their own ends. When they complain that this means the end of a free press, what they really mean is that they wont be as free as they were to continue on as in the past. Of course this country will have a free press the public wouldn't stand for anything less. Can you imagine a newspaper in China or Russia rubbishing their government like we do, they'd be shut down in 5 minutes. The Levensen report showed that the press cannot be trusted to self regulate, therefore they have to be made to do so under legislation. It won't stop MP's wrongdoings being reported, it won't stop any other public scandal being reported, what it will do is stop phone hacking and similar practices. It won't affect the current system of "D" notices, nor a Journalists right to protect their source.

Especially when Del-boy called a halt to proceedings only for Nancy boy to go running to Millpede to spite Del-boy?

That is just silly flowery language. The 3 main parties became deadlocked and couldn't reach an agreement, so to break the deadlock, the Tories halted the talks, and published their own views. The Lib Dems and Labour were already in broad agreement with what they wanted to see, so they published a joint statement of their own views. It was going to be debated and voted on in Parliament yesterday, but after all night talks they came to an agreement, thus avoiding a vote. The cynics amongst us may say that it was simply done to avoid one side being the loser in a vote, and allowing all 3 parties to claim a partial success. There may be some truth in that.

Those that squeal the loudest probably have the most to lose or hide.

The debate continues with recognition being given to nearly every British newspaper, including the Mirror Group, but significantly not the Mail nor the sun. I am enjoying every minute. You are so 1990's Sirius ....

Is that so, then please pray tell how all 3 parties are declaring victory? Especially when Del-boy called a halt to proceedings only for Nancy boy to go running to Millpede to spite Del-boy?

That's not governance but spoilt little brats! We need leaders that will govern, not P**ie's doing backroom deals!

---

The debate continues with recognition being given to nearly every British newspaper, including the Mirror Group, but significantly not the Mail nor the sun. I am enjoying every minute. You are so 1990's Sirius ....

The debate has been agreed, and it is live now.

Late Edit - Well well, Labour thanking Tory, Tory thanking Labour, and Lib dems thanking everyone. Sorry Sirius, a grand day for politicians and just shows what Parliament can really do.

Yep, a grand day indeed, already going into the history books as "Muddled Monday" How imperiously grand!

---