"Mistakes in the budget had left the government "ploughing into a brick wall", the prime minister has admitted as he defended successive U-turns, but he insisted the government overall was showing "resolve, strength and grit".
David Cameron's frank assessment of the budget errors came as fresh reports emerged of policy disputes on the eve of the budget that reflect poorly on chancellor George Osborne's judgment.
Osborne, feted over the past five years as the key Conservative political strategist, has seen his stock take a precipitous tumble over the budget. It was reported that his parliamentary aide personally urged him to drop the "granny tax" and "pasty tax" on the eve of the budget, saying they would be wildly unpopular.
Cameron, speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, said it took courage for an administration to admit it was "ploughing into the brick wall" and change course on unpopular policies.
On Thursday, the chancellor had bowed to intense pressure to cap tax relief on charitable donations – his third budget about-face in less than a week.
Earlier in the week, he conducted partial U-turns on VAT on hot takeaway food and on static caravans."
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"It has been reported on the ConservativeHome website that Osborne, as the Guardian reported before the budget, wanted to cut the top rate of tax down to 40p but was blocked in the final negotiations by Cameron and the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg. Osborne had intended to say the government would cut the top rate to 40p by the end of the parliament."
Source: Cameron: budget errors left government 'ploughing into brick wall' | Politics | guardian.co.uk
PM is supposed to be the driver ffs!
I hope he's got 3rd party insurance!
David Cameron's frank assessment of the budget errors came as fresh reports emerged of policy disputes on the eve of the budget that reflect poorly on chancellor George Osborne's judgment.
Osborne, feted over the past five years as the key Conservative political strategist, has seen his stock take a precipitous tumble over the budget. It was reported that his parliamentary aide personally urged him to drop the "granny tax" and "pasty tax" on the eve of the budget, saying they would be wildly unpopular.
Cameron, speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, said it took courage for an administration to admit it was "ploughing into the brick wall" and change course on unpopular policies.
On Thursday, the chancellor had bowed to intense pressure to cap tax relief on charitable donations – his third budget about-face in less than a week.
Earlier in the week, he conducted partial U-turns on VAT on hot takeaway food and on static caravans."
----
"It has been reported on the ConservativeHome website that Osborne, as the Guardian reported before the budget, wanted to cut the top rate of tax down to 40p but was blocked in the final negotiations by Cameron and the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg. Osborne had intended to say the government would cut the top rate to 40p by the end of the parliament."
Source: Cameron: budget errors left government 'ploughing into brick wall' | Politics | guardian.co.uk
PM is supposed to be the driver ffs!
I hope he's got 3rd party insurance!
