Budget meets low expectations

George Osborne looked to avoid a repeat of last year's Budget fiasco with a low-key approach.

After last year's omnishambles', the government was careful to lower expectations drastically in the run-up to this year's Budget speech. Not that there was any scope for spectacular moves: a triple-dip recession is looming and Chancellor George Osborne had made it clear that he would not deviate from his austerity programme.

He "is sticking doggedly" to the script, said Capital Economics. The measures were fiscally neutral and there were virtually no surprises.

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