Can George Osborne step up to the mark?
As we approach the emergency budget on 22 June there are calls for George Osborne to bring in a number of radical changes to the UK taxation system and the UK public sector. A number of political analysts have commented upon disarray in the Labour Party offering George Osborne the perfect opportunity to think outside of the box and make a name for himself. But is George Osborne up to the job?
It has certainly been so far so good for George Osborne, as it has been for David Cameron, but his presentation of the budget on 22 June will be scrutinised in minute detail. Over the last few days we have seen a concerted effort by the government to ridicule Labour spending in the final throes of the last government as well as economic forecasts which are now starting to fall apart. However, there is a danger that the government could place all of the blame for the economic turmoil on the Labour Party and then the economy turns around due in part to Labour Party fiscal stimulus programs of the past.
If George Osborne misses this opportunity to introduce massive public-sector spending cuts he may see the economy recover in the latter part of 2010 and 2011 and lose the opportunity forever.
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