Taking Stock Budget Special - TS Budget hurdlers fall at first fence.

Shocking news from the Accountancy Age Budget hurdles this week.[QQ] The runaway leader, PwC’s John Whiting, recorded no media mentions this week. Before our scoring system is subjected to a steward’s enquiry – it’s a weekly trawl through the Reuters database – its not just John who has hit the buffers. Grant Thornton’s Mike Waterburton – who was second last week with four mentions to John’s seven – also failed to add to his total. Unless you count a mention in a piece about a new partner at the firm’s Cheltenham office. We don’t. The real gainer this week has been Chantrey Vellacott’s Maurice Fitzpatrick with three mentions, rocketing him into second place on six. Other tax experts like Francesca Lagerberg of the institute’s tax faculty and Baker Tilly’s Clive Parritt are still on zero. KPMG’s Ian Barlow, an early favourite, is also yet to post a point. TS thought Ian had broken his duck but we suspect the Ian Barlow that ground out an important victory in the Lynher Windows Plymouth & District Billiards and Snooker League last week is not a leading tax expert.