2012 will be a memorable year for most of the UK, but for
George Osborne it may be one he won’t forget too soon.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer cuts an acerbic taste with
both Opposition politicians and much of the wider public. After the disaster of
the spring budget that brought on headlines on pasty, caravan and church taxes,
not to mention the entire ‘omnishambles’, Osborne knew that this budget was not only important to
this government, but also his reputation as a politician.
We are now beyond the half-way mark of the Coalition Government
and within the next two years, the general public will start to be make
decisions on whether this Government is the right choice to lead the country
into the next Parliament.
Osborne, no longer the Conservative’s chief electoral
strategist but still a key player within Tory HQ, will know this more than
anybody.
For too long, the Tories have relied on a cheap shot of
blaming the Labour Government for frivolity and economic mismanagement, yet in
recent months have been undermined by some of their own and wider economic
indicators. Today, extending from David Cameron’s speech at the Conservative
Party Conference marks a side step away.
The Conservatives will go into this election pushing the
line that ‘things have been tough, much tougher than we anticipated, but we’re moving in the right direction’. A
triple-dip-recession may be inevitable, particularly with the UK’s biggest
export market, the Euro zone, expected to contract further. Yet, you can hear
the calls are starting to get louder on how things wouldn’t be much different
under a Labour Government.
Increasing the tax-allowance, cutting welfare spending as
well new infrastructure projects will go down well with the public. Especially
the decision to cut the planned 3p rise in fuel duty, something backed by The
Sun newspaper. As well as the more macro initiatives to help businesses, big
and small.
It’s more than likely we will see further politicking over
the next couple years, maybe an initiative to claw back powers from the EU (a
referendum?) and new measures to tackle youth unemployment. Both of which are
serious vote winners and of concern to the current government.
Ed Balls may have been flustered as he delivered an awkward
response, but no doubt he will get his teeth into the detail over the next day
or so. As Osborne learnt on his last budgetary outing, the little things tend
to matter and he will be more than cautious.
Osborne over the past week has introduced two new and highly
proven advisors into his team and no doubt will feel a little sharper in the
long run, but he knows that if he gets it right he could be looking at a
majority government, get it wrong and his reputation will be tarnished forever.
