23/02/2005

Brown sets March 16 date for Budget

Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced that he will deliver his next Budget to the House of Commons on March 16.

The Budget speech will be delivered at 12:30 GMT, just after Prime Minister's Question Time.

The annual speech in which the Chancellor outlines government taxation and broader economic predictions will be Mr Brown's eighth since Labour came to power in 1997. It is widely expected to be the last before a General Election is called.

The Conservative's Shadow Chancellor, Oliver Letwin, warned voters of Labour's 'hidden tax agenda' following the announcement of the Budget. Mr Letwin said: "We can be sure of two things: the Budget will contain measures to attract votes, and it will not contain the £8 billion of tax rises which independent experts say are inevitable if Labour wins the election."

Accountancy firm Ernst and Young have urged the Chancellor to focus on the economy's long-term needs instead of party politics in the Budget.

Aidan O'Carroll, the firm's head of tax, said: "In the Budgets that were given immediately before the last six elections, taxes were cut by the incumbent chancellor and, in many cases, taxes were increased soon after the election result."

(KMKcA/SP)

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