“I will study closely what happens before I make any decision”
Mick’s post on the Irish government budget announcement at 3.45pm tomorrow reminded me of something Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said at the start of November
Speaking about his plans to react appropriately to Britain’s upcoming budget, he said: “We didn’t know last year that the British were bringing down their vat rate, but at least this year the British budget is first, so I will study closely what happens before I make any decision.”
The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, will deliver this year’s Pre-Budget Report to Parliament at 12:30pm on Wednesday 9th December.
I read in one of the papers today, they are considering slashing excise duty to bring the cost of alcohol below Northern levels. If true, traffic northwords may reverse..
Sticking plaster budgets for both of them.
Darling’s budget report is almost superfluous since Osborne plans an emergency budget within 50 days of a Tory government being elected.
I remembered that too and wondered about its quiet jettisonning. You’d have thought darling would have played ball and let Brian know his thoughts aforehand.
Ah, independence, it even includes the freedom go where you’re told.