UK Pre-Budget 2005 - Economy
Resources
Martin Wolf: Chancellor risks tarnishing his legacy
Gordon Brown is on thinning ice. Labour has used up all – probably more than all – of its margin of fiscal manoeuvre. It must now face painful choices.
Brighter future delayed for a couple of years
With one line in his speech Gordon Brown conceded what everyone else has known for some time: 2005 has been “the toughest and most challenging year for the economy”, he said.
UK economic performance lags eurozone
Gordon Brown was distinctly subdued when it came to comparing Britain’s economic performance with the eurozone and other parts of the world.
More for military as cost of Iraq war nears £4bn
Gordon Brown said the Treasury has allocated an additional £580m, taking the total cost of the war in Iraq to nearly £4bn.
Unions vent anger over public sector pay squeeze
Public sector unions already in dispute with government over civil service job cuts and local government pension changes reacted angrily to the chancellor’s latest attempts to rein back public sector pay rises.
