Wyre Forest MP welcomes 2013 budget (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

I don't really know why anyone still listens to Mark when he's talking about Tory government issues, because he never deviates from the policy line. I would like someone who would question and vote with their heart.

At least it gives me a chance to point out Mark's continuing porky telling to his electorate.
"Labour’s debt and deficit crises are still hitting our economy" - if I can quote the Conservative Ramesh Patel "In 1997 Labour inherited a deficit of 3.9% of GDP and by 2008 it had fallen to 2.1% - a reduction of a near 50% - Impressive! Hence, it's implausible and ludicrous to claim there was overspending. The deficit was then exacerbated by the global banking crises after 2008."

Our MP is either deeply unintelligent or a serial liar.

Firstly its a shame that the Shuttle only accessed Twitter for a comment from Labour locally - any number of us could have been contacted yesterday prepared to give a "live" comment.
However there are things in the Budget with which I would broadly agree - the incentives for homes and the reduction in Corporation Tax to name two. But the populist reduction in beer tax by 1p is a partonising and laughable attempt to woo some of those likely hit hardest hit by the draconian benefit cuts, pay freezes and the damping down of pensions. I don't think those who "benefit" are either that naive or gullable and wont be won over by the opportunity to save a pound on 100 pints of beer!
Mark persits with his paranoid mantra about the "appalling legacy left by Labour" which now, after three years of shambollic mismanagement by idiot Osborne, is wearing a bit thin.
Debt is up from £800bn in 2010 to £1200bn now and Osborne needs to borrow another £250bn over what he originally predicted in the next 2 years due to the abject failure of his measures of the last three years. Also, some of the "positives" from this Budget don't kick in until April 2015, probably just before the next General Election. So could it be that Osborne doesn't have much faith in the potential effectiveness of his plans and, not expecting to be in power much after then, is leaving the legacy of his incompetance to the next government to sought out?
Also JonD correctly quotes from the great article by Tory, Ramesh Patel which is balenced and accurate, called "The Deficit Myth" and still accessible by googling it. Interestingly the article ends with the quote from Nazi propoganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels that "if you tell the same lie often enough, it will eventually be believed." It seems that Mark has learned the lesson well, since the only message he has to offer is "its all Labour's fault" which he trots out ad nauseum.

Sorry 'sort out" - not 'sought out'.

I fail to see how this budget will be much help to those who actually need help.

If there are all these new jobs created in the private sector in place of public sector jobs - why is unemployment standing at 2.5million which is not much changed from 2010 so far as I recall? And what type of jobs are they? Not like for like I can bet with tax receipts falling.

Mark fails to mention that the problems, are now, in the main, of their own making thanks to following a bust cuts only strategy - but hey, it's ok because by 2018 they will be hitting their deficit target - as borrowing continues to rise thus wasting any opportunity to invest they ever had - so one wonders whether Mark will still be the MP then, who will be in Govt, and why 2018? Especially when the election is 2015 and that was their target date...so he continues to blame things on the last Govt. Nice try Mark but you 'fail' again to be truthful in your rush to propagandise the story.

We need a massive social housing building programme but what do we get? Money set aside for housebuyers who may feel reluctant to take out mortgages. Why?
1. due to job insecurity made worse by this incompetent shower of a Govt. 2. not being in a position to achieve a 5% deposit with falling wages and rising inflation.

I don't know about anyone else but saving money right now for anything is a pipedream.....

I predicted a while back that we would get pre election bribes and more promises of jam tomorrow and that is exactly what we have got while failing to address our fundamental issues and the continued attack on the poor. Oh, and what pub do you know of that charges for drinks in anything but multiples of 10pence? So the 1p off tax is laughable.

Sorry, but once again it is a Govt "Fail" must do better school report.

The “Help to Buy” scheme will just create a housing bubble as it isn't being backed up by more houses being built. Also it doesn't exclude people from buying second homes so this will probably see millionaires getting a subsidised second home. A bit worrying so soon after it was revealed that a third of ex council houses are now owned by rich landlords.