Budget Update
As I explained in my article of 9th of March, 25,000 self-employed people in Brighton and Hove stood to lose money as a result of Philip Hammond's first budget. Within a week and under instruction from the Prime Minister, Philip Hammond withdrew his proposal.
While his enforced change of heart is welcomed by Liberal Democrats the implication of this way of doing business spells danger for future negotiations over Brexit.
One has to wonder by what process such a poor error of judgement crept into the budget making process. And whether this indicates that dysfunction is already at work at the heart of our new government. The relationship between PM and Chancellor is always a difficult one. Think of Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Lawson or Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. I fear that Mrs May has critically injured Mr Hammond by such a public rebuke. And rumours abound that the more extreme Brexiteers within the Tory Party are gunning for Hammond for his supposedly pro-EU views.
As Tim Farron said on the BBC: "The Conservative government's reputation for economic competence is now in tatters"
Watch this space for more sightings of gross indecision and poor judgement from the Government.