Anyone watching the Budget 2024?

[LadyofRutshire]

I couldn't find a thread on today's budget. Anyone watching live?

Tobacco and alcohol will def rise.. and that’s fair enough

Yikes, what is she softening us up for?

Agree

Although I suppose it is all a piece of theatre and to deliver the speech to dead silence would also be odd.

Faisal Islam on the Beeb's live online coverage is doing summaries of key points as she goes.

Honestly she has tied her hands so badly. The choices she is making will impact working people unfortunately. Employers and employees don’t operate in separate bubbles. Bang goes any chance of me getting a pay rise next spring!!

Have to say I am pleasantly surprised so far. Am expecting increased taxes, but up to now has been fairly sensible. She is also quite impressive in her delivery
Don't underestimate how hard it is to be heard clearly as a woman in the HoC.

I think her delivery is appalling too. It's like she spits out every single word.

lacing my fingers over my eyes.

So every employee will cost 100s of pounds more. How grim

Employer's NIC - well leaked ahead of time, but I think the increase % is a little lower than leaked?

The drop in threshold is a stark one, though.

Business are under so much pressure economically and a lot are closing. Small businesses are going to struggle more.

I don't know - the medium is the message. How you say it is just as important as what you say.

Cf: Liz Truss.

Yes - simmer down! 😂

The MPs are so rude. Just bloody listen. Moan later.

I can't watch, please share the big things as they come up!

Would you (a) say the same about a man and (b) prefer her to mumble?

Did the Speaker say "simmer down"?! It really is a lot like a classroom 😂

I wish they’d shut the fuck up in the background

There's the helping hand for smaller businesses.

Employment allowance increased which is great. I am trustee of a small charity and this will really help us as we employ five part time staff.

’fund our public services’ has been said more than ‘what I inherited from the last government’ so I’m expecting a big improvement incoming with public services.

It looks like a much smaller room when it's full.

I would criticise any public speaker if I thought their delivery was poor irrespective of whether they were male or female.

Taking and giving back... you can tell the opposition is spitting. Their faces tell a story.

Whatever individual impacts are on all of us, the reality is we haven't seen a well planned, transparent budget like this for years.

Shit that fuel duty frozen but bus fares up!