Chancellor Osborne budget spin cannot hide the truth

Op-ed: It's that time of year again in the UK-Wednesday is budget day and we the people will have to endure a smug-faced Tory Chancellor Mr George Osborne spinning facts and figures to within an inch of their life.

If Osborne runs true to form he will begin his budget speech with a pat on his back and a great deal of stuff and nonsense about the economy.

He will try to brag he is doing a great job as Chancellor and all is well but we know he wants to slash billions from budgets so how will he spin that one? It could be more of "we are fixing the roof while the sun is shining" or feature on a global economic downturn but most people already know the truth.

The fact of the matter is Osbornomics is not working.

Trying to cut taxes for the very wealthy, budget for hefty pay rises for MPs and the Queen, commit money to war and expect the poorest people in the UK to take an income cut to fulfil all if that is obscene.

Wednesday expect a nod to the Tories "working to their plan" which to most people is a scary thought and how the Tories are helping "hard-working families" thus excluding a huge number of people from their radar-pensioners, people with disabilities, childless couples, single people and more.

As he taunts the opposition today and in particular Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn who is tasked with the job of offering the official opposition response to the budget expect jeers and cheers from the Tory benches.

Will John Bercow the Tory speaker of the house even make an effort to hold MPs to account, try to keep order and ensure Mr Corbyn is given the respect an opposition party leader deserves?

12.35 and the budget run down.

John Bercow leaves the chamber meaning his deputy handles the budget statement and opposition response so at least one piece of good news today.

Yep Osborne talks up the economy and blows his trumpet as expected as he begins his speech with long-term economic plan and other spin but here it goes and the blame game falls on the global economy.

So the cuts that are going to be announced will be to ensure our economic strength and if you believe that you are living in cloud cuckoo land.

Osborne starts off with yes you guessed it hard working families.

No facts yet but political campaigning including a stab at the former Labour government.

I guess all the ramble ahead of the facts and figures we the people are interested in is to confuse, mind numb or result in viewers reaching for the remote.

Osborne touches on the upcoming EU referendum-he claims OBR stay out of EU ref but then talks the talk about how the OBR see an out vote as a negative.

The Chancellor goes on to job figures posted conveniently today but his dodgy figures are meaningless; look out for the nitty gritty later.

Using a crystal ball Osborne claims analysis shows what would have happened had he not acted in 2010 but that too is meaningless.

Billions of "savings" but he claims disability budgets are rising. Dodgy borrowing figures which no doubt when checked thoroughly later will not ring true.

"Borrowing (£bn)
15/16: £72.2bn (Autumn Statement: 74)
16/17: 55.5 (50)
17/18: 38.8 (25)
18/19: 21.4 (5)
19/20: -10.4 (-10)
20/21: -11 (-15)"

More crystal ball readings as he talks about future years but:

"Chancellor confirms he is breaking one of his fiscal rules. Debt as a percentage of GDP has risen this fiscal year, not fallen."

The Speaker has to call Tories to order as their Chancellor drones on and on.

Corporation Tax to reduce further to 17% by 2017.

Help for small firms; business rate relief raised from £6,000 which will allegedly help small businesses. As Osborne gives the details he mentions the CPI as opposed to the RPI and how using the lower one to assess rates will help small businesses; yes he switched the price index for pensions some time ago ensuring pensioners and benefit claimants only ever get the lower increase.

"Labour backbenchers shouting 'who's paying?' after @George_Osborne announcement on reducing business rates #Budget2016" tweets Sky news correspondent but I cannot hear any shouting.

I can hear shouting now as Osborne moves on to backdated tax cuts for oil and gas industry.

Osborne opts to add a stab at the SNP and Scotland with that announcement which is unnecessary and will ruffle feathers.

There is only so much spin this writer can stand so back later to add the basics.

The final straw I guess was Osborne saying proof that when an area of the country votes blue they get good payback. What a divisive statement.

BBC News has the highlighted the key points but bear in mind that institution is often accused of Tory bias these days. Find the information here.

[Quotes in the report from Sky News journos via Twitter]

Now for Mr Jeremy Corbyn's response - Jeremy Corbyn budget day winner, black trousers and all