Pre-Budget statement: Ernst & Young reaction
Gordon Brown has unveiled what a leading tax expert has described as a 'conservative, promises-for-tomorrow and administratively-cumbersome pre-Budget statement.'
Alastair Kendrick, tax director at Ernst & Young, said: ‘There are a lot of promises for tomorrow with much bending to business. He has tried to match the protesters demands with regard to fuel and pensions.’ It will be interesting to see whether there is enough today to stop further dispute and impact on business.’
‘The increase of pensions is to be welcomed but the traditional Labour basis of helping the poor at the expense of the rich may prove a substantial administrative burden for those requiring to claim further pension credits.’
‘If a lot of the areas covered had already been leaked or predicted. It was only the detail that came as a surprise,’ Kendrick added.