UK Budget 2004
Resources
Thousands affected by IHT changes
Gordon Brown’s Budget move to stop people avoiding inheritance tax by giving away assets while continuing to enjoy the benefits will affect tens of thousands of people.
Changes to zero rate tax band are no joke
Gordon Brown raided the wallets of hundreds of thousands of small businesses.
Producers feature in Brown's latest take
British film producers could not have scripted Gordon Brown's Budget speech better.
One year extra to maximise funds
Delay in the introduction of the lifetime allowance.
Big rush to crack down on abusive schemes
The Treasury has rushed forward its new crackdown on tax avoidance.
Related content and features
Comment
Martin Wolf: Brown still leads in the long game
Provided households keep spending, public services improve and increases in taxation are, if necessary, modest, there is a good chance the chancellor’s strategy will continue to pay off.
Sketch
Hammer horror leaves Howard cowed
The expression of pained innocence does not come easily to the dour features of Gordon Brown; disbelief, occasionally; scowling, certainly. But the chancellor assumed a different visage, to great tactical effect as he set about the Tories’ election strategy with a hammer.
Lex
Lex: UK Budget
Beethoven’s eighth symphony was a jovial work, full of jokes. Gordon Brown’s eighth budget is less entertaining by far - though music lovers may recognise the metronome theme.
Analysis
Strategists query chancellor’s calculations
Financial markets barely blinked at Gordon Brown’s intensely political budget, but strategists raised some doubts about whether the chancellor’s numbers all added up.
Kevin Brown
Budget may be bad news for small businesses
Gordon Brown’s Budget speech looked like a pretty good deal for most personal taxpayers - but a very bad deal for tens of thousands with small businesses.
Lombard
Lombard: No escape from Gordon’s tax inquisitors
Gordon Brown sounded like a homeowner who had just extended his mortgage to add that extra storey he had been dreaming about.
