Osborne promises a budget for ‘working people’
The Chancellor says this week’s budget will help people on low and middle incomes, and promises an “aggressive” policy on the super-rich who dodge property taxes.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show on the BBC he also denied he was in conflict with the Liberal Democrats over the recent speculation that he was going to cut the top rate 50p tax.
Mr Osborne insisted his overall blueprint was “a budget for working people”.
“What you will see on Wednesday is a budget for working people, a budget that shows Britain can earn its way in the world, a budget that says Britain is not content with being in the second rank of economic powers.
“We want to be in the front rank of economic powers and we are prepared to confront our problems to create jobs, growth and prosperity and a brighter future for the next generation.”
He went on: “The bulk of the measures in the budget are going to be targeted at working people on low and middle incomes. That is our priority.”
He promised to “come down like a tonne of bricks” on the wealthy who try to avoid stamp duty in this country by selling properties through offshore companies.
“We are going to be extremely aggressive in dealing with it and people are going to face a very punitive charge.
“People have had their warning: they have got to pay stamp duty on the homes they live in.”
Mr Osborne’s comments comes after news that civil servants in poorer areas would be ‘paid less’ was leaked, as proposals would be fast forwarded to replace national pay structures for public sector workers with regional pay models.
The government say this will bring public salaries in line with the private sector, which are perceived to be lower in many regions.
However critics fear this will effectively mean a pay cut for those public sector workers in the poorer regions.