Budget arguments

On another blog we list Budget announcements.

These are arguments made by the Chancellor, not verbatim.

Last year's Budget was about rescue. It delivered stability. This year's Budget is about reform. It will lead to recovery.

The British people have already been asked for everything necessary to deliver stability. Today's Budget will not ask for more. It will be fiscally neutral.

Britain, because of the fiscal correction announced, has lower interest rates than in less indebted nations and it means the nation has the monetary conditions to underpin growth.

Britain under Labour gambled on a debt-fuelled boom and the gamble failed.

Britain has fallen from 4th to 12th in global competitiveness league.

Growth must be spread across whole of UK. Yes, the City of London is important but we must ensure that high end manufacturing, green technologies, creative industries and life sciences ensure that prosperity is spread across UK.

Says 50% tax measure is a temporary measure but it would not be right to remove it now when "we're all in this together".

Closing soundbite: "We have put fuel into the tank of the British economy".