The budget hasn't been a politically engaging event for some time now. We know we're going to get screwed. All that matters is how and how much. But even that isn't a concern at this stage. They've just about sussed that they've pushed their luck and shouldn't push it any further if they wish to keep the public disengaged from politics.The cynic in me was half expecting a raft of green taxes but they aren't that stupid. They know it's not washing with us. We even knew that expensive 4x4's would get a hit, but who among us buys them new anyway? Everybody was expecting fags 'n' booze to go up and no-one is the least bit concerned. We will adapt as we always have.
In this respect successive governments remind me of first world war generals persisting in sending troops over the top in the certain knowledge they will be slaughtered in the first ten seconds. Just because it didn't work the first hundred times, doesn't deter them from doing it again and again.
And of course we get no sign of action on the emerging economic crisis because announcing solutions means admitting there's a problem. Meanwhile the rest of the world is preparing for a long and frightening battle with the bailiffs.
It seems they have learned much from their masters in Brussels. Keep it just boring enough to ensure no-one in their right mind pays any attention.
In fact the only thing remarkable about the theatre production today was the sheer contempt Labour backbenchers showed for the proceedings. Nothing new there and I'm sure the public shares the sentiment but as the old man says... We are watching. Waiting and watching.
