Budget 2011: something to smile about?

George Osborne has permitted himself a slight smile on the steps of No. 11 posing with the Budget box. That tells you there is something in there he thinks you’ll like. He knows the picture will be next to the headlines tomorrow morning. George Osborne was very careful not to smile at all when he held up his first Budget box (then Gladstone’s box – now withdrawn from use by the National Archives who say it won’t survive more man-handling by Chancellors no matter how much they like the historical resonance).  He knew it would work badly with the headlines he was generating with his emergency budget.

I see the car went out a different route from Downing Street suggesting that the demonstrators chained to the gate managed to divert but not delay his moment in parliament.

UPDATE:  Latest is that  4 demonstrators  tried to lay down in the street in front of George Osborne’s car. He’d diverted to a different route out of Downing Street but they were savvy enough to have that covered.  But he had another route out and so nothing is delayed. There seem to have been 8 women altogether – they say they are part of no group and are protesting against cuts.