Brown takes from the poor to give to the rich!

6.27.00pm GMT Wed 21st Mar 2007

2p off the basic rate of tax looks generous, but not if its paid for by abolishing the 10p rate. This budget will disproportionately hit the poorest the most. Labour has done lots of things in office I could never have imagined but this is perhaps the most shocking. The changes announced in the budget will mean that anyone earning less than around £15,000 will pay more in income tax - how is that fair?

Brown will say that various credits and benefits will make up for this, in theory yes, but the take-up for some of these credits and benefits is a just 40%