Budget Live.

Has Ken Clark woken up yet?

An absolute load of Tory Crap as expected.

Still trying to dig the country out of the hole Labour firmly dug with years of fiscal mismanagement.

Really winds me up listening to the millipede and how clever Labour would be were they in power, conveniently forgetting they put us in this position in the first place.

Did I hear correctly that regional Newspapers were getting some kind of help last Wednesday?

Look for section 1.114 - here.

Budget 2015: documents

Thanks Skinny, here it is just another consultation.

20. The government will consult on a tax relief for local newspapers
Local newspapers are a vital part of community life, but they’ve had a tough time - so the government is announcing a consultation on how to can provide them with tax support.

This is the wording from the links above.

1.114 Local newspapers are an important source of information for local communities and a vital part of a healthy democracy. To support them as they adapt to new technology and changing circumstances, the government will consult on whether to introduce a business rates relief for local newspapers in England.

Don't the torids own the majority of the local Local newspapers?

I like State support for private enterprise.

Good capitalist and market forces in practice or is it something else.

Bail out at the expense of the tax payers.

1st full Budget after election year so normally one to relatively hammer the non crooks with like the majority of people in this Country.

Not likely to have much actual effect on the Ft 100 IMHO for obvious reasons.

At a guess Gideon may relax CG, but it's only a guess.

UK's Osborne aims to keep austerity on track as EU referendum nears

Sugar tax anyone!

i wonder why not with pretty much immediate effect?
it's been talked about for long enough

am i correct in thinking there have been no benefit cuts?
find that hard to believe, but was not watching from the off

Yes I think so, but stand to be corrected.

Capital Gains Tax to be cut from 28% to 20%, and from 18% to 10% for basic-rate taxpayers.

... My right horrible friend seems to read Moneyam then -):

Also, Annual Isa limit to rise from £15,000 to £20,000.

Does that CGT affect 2nd properties? The 2nd property / rental market was due to be hit by the increase in stamp duty. Does the CGT threshold reduction mitigate that? If so, presumably the house builders will bounce. (EDIT: already up I see.)

Commercial stamp duty 0% rate on purchases up to £150,000, 2% on next £100,000 and 5% top rate above £250,000. New 2% rate for high-value leases with net present value above £5m. Effective from midnight.

didn't listen to much of the budget at all, but it seems there's a lot of help for small(er) businesses which has to be an excellent move on a number of fronts