A top read. And the finance bill
Regular readers will be aware of TS’s aversion to so-called ‘heavyweight’ reading. After all, we’re still struggling with the Harry Potter books. So the recent publication of the Treasury’s finance bill struck us with a fear similar to that of an arachnophobe faced with a bath of tarantulas.
It’s not a record, but Gordon Brown’s 342-page, 172-clause-and-20-schedule finance bill, along with accompanying explanatory notes, weighs in at 2.2kg. That’s just less than 5lbs to you. No doubt it’s more than worth its weight to the Treasury, others may take a different view.
Consider the poor, perspiring staff at the Commons vote office, required to manhandle sufficient copies into their basement store to hand out to MPs, reporters and sundry aides and advisers. But not to TS. We’re sticking with the excellent read that is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for the moment.