This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/politics/10371590.stm

The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Osborne to raise tax allowances Osborne to raise tax allowances
(about 1 hour later)
The Budget is likely to prove a crucial moment for the governmentThe Budget is likely to prove a crucial moment for the government
The rate at which people start paying tax will rise by £1,000 in the Budget but ministers face likely criticism over tax rises and cuts elsewhere.The rate at which people start paying tax will rise by £1,000 in the Budget but ministers face likely criticism over tax rises and cuts elsewhere.
Nearly 900,000 people earning less than a £7,475 will pay no tax under plans set to be announced by Chancellor George Osborne on Tuesday.Nearly 900,000 people earning less than a £7,475 will pay no tax under plans set to be announced by Chancellor George Osborne on Tuesday.
Mr Osborne will say his deficit-cutting package will be "tough but fair" and that the better-off will pay more.Mr Osborne will say his deficit-cutting package will be "tough but fair" and that the better-off will pay more.
But Labour say the poorest will be hit and cuts are ideologically driven.But Labour say the poorest will be hit and cuts are ideologically driven.
They say the economy is too weak to withstand such a spending squeeze and the move could push the UK back into recession.
Mr Osborne will deliver his and the coalition government's first Budget at 1230 BST (1130 GMT), fulfilling the Conservatives' pre-election pledge to hold a Budget within 50 days of coming to office.Mr Osborne will deliver his and the coalition government's first Budget at 1230 BST (1130 GMT), fulfilling the Conservatives' pre-election pledge to hold a Budget within 50 days of coming to office.
Mr Osborne has said the Budget will set out "tough" but necessary plans to bring down borrowing over the next four years and how this will be divided up between spending cuts and tax rises.Mr Osborne has said the Budget will set out "tough" but necessary plans to bring down borrowing over the next four years and how this will be divided up between spending cuts and tax rises.
The package of austerity measures is widely expected to be toughest for generations.
The government says borrowing levels inherited from Labour - which are set to total £155bn this year - are unsustainable and delaying action will damage market confidence in the UK and store up worse financial problems for the future.The government says borrowing levels inherited from Labour - which are set to total £155bn this year - are unsustainable and delaying action will damage market confidence in the UK and store up worse financial problems for the future.
Tax allowancesTax allowances
He is expected to announce a number of revenue-raising measures, including a levy on bank profits, an increase in capital gains tax and rises in cigarette and alcohol duties while a change in aviation tax is also expected. The chancellor is expected to announce a number of revenue-raising measures, including a levy on bank profits, an increase in capital gains tax and rises in cigarette and alcohol duties while a change in aviation tax is also expected.
But opposition, unions and employer groups have all expressed concerns about the steps being planned amid continuing speculation of a rise in VAT and a freeze on public sector pay beyond the one-year already planned in 2011-2012.But opposition, unions and employer groups have all expressed concerns about the steps being planned amid continuing speculation of a rise in VAT and a freeze on public sector pay beyond the one-year already planned in 2011-2012.
The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said the government's plans to raise personal tax allowances will take an estimated 880,000 people out of the tax system and give basic rate taxpayers a tax cut of £200 per year. The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said the government's plans to raise personal tax allowances will take an estimated 880,000 people out of the tax system and also give millions of basic rate taxpayers a tax cut of £200 per year.
But he said it will be clear from the chancellor's statement that overall people in all income groups will pay more as a result of other tax rises, spending and benefit cuts and limits to public sector pay and pensions. The plan is the first step towards a key Lib Dem coalition demand of taking all those earning less than £10,000 out of tax.
The chancellor must find £3.5bn to pay for the giveaway - which will be clawed back from top rate taxpayers - and Labour are likely to argue that it is irresponsible in the current climate.
But Nick Robinson said it will be clear from the chancellor's statement that overall people in all income groups will pay more as a result of other tax rises, spending and benefit cuts and limits to public sector pay and pensions.
However, he has said it is "far from certain" that VAT will rise from its current 17.5%.However, he has said it is "far from certain" that VAT will rise from its current 17.5%.
'Fiscal bombshell''Fiscal bombshell'
In an e-mail to Lib Dem members on Monday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the budget deficit amounted to a "fiscal bombshell" that had to be dealt with.In an e-mail to Lib Dem members on Monday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the budget deficit amounted to a "fiscal bombshell" that had to be dealt with.
"Without action on the deficit, we will carry on racking up unaffordable debts our children will have to pay off," he said."Without action on the deficit, we will carry on racking up unaffordable debts our children will have to pay off," he said.
"We will carry on spending more money on debt interest than we do on our schools."We will carry on spending more money on debt interest than we do on our schools.
"And we will undermine the economic growth needed to create jobs and opportunities for all of us. There is nothing fair, liberal or progressive about any of that.""And we will undermine the economic growth needed to create jobs and opportunities for all of us. There is nothing fair, liberal or progressive about any of that."
He rejected claims that the Liberal Democrats - who during the election opposed cutting spending this year - had "sold out". He rejected claims that the Liberal Democrats had "sold out" after they campaigned during the election against early spending cuts due to the fragility of the economic recovery.
"We have always argued that cuts would be necessary, but the timing should be based on economic circumstances, not political dogma. The economic situation today means that time has come." "We have always argued that cuts would be necessary, but the timing should be based on economic circumstances, not political dogma," he said. "The economic situation today means that time has come."
'Hardest thing'
Mr Clegg said the economic situation in Europe had deteriorated in recent months while Labour had exacerbated the situation by making a large number of unfunded spending promises in its last few months.Mr Clegg said the economic situation in Europe had deteriorated in recent months while Labour had exacerbated the situation by making a large number of unfunded spending promises in its last few months.
"So cuts must come. We have taken the difficult decisions with care, and with fairness at their heart. You will see the stamp of our Liberal Democrat values in tomorrow's Budget. But nonetheless, it will be controversial. "So cuts must come," he added. "We have taken the difficult decisions with care, and with fairness at their heart. You will see the stamp of our Liberal Democrat values in tomorrow's Budget. But nonetheless, it will be controversial.
"This is one of the hardest things we will ever have to do, but I assure you, the alternative is worse: rising debts, higher interest rates, less growth and fewer opportunities.""This is one of the hardest things we will ever have to do, but I assure you, the alternative is worse: rising debts, higher interest rates, less growth and fewer opportunities."
Other measures widely forecast to be included in the Budget include a cut in the headline rate of corporation tax, a two-year freeze in council tax and the scrapping of Labour's planned 1% rise in national insurance contributions paid by employers.
Unions have said any tax rises must fall predominately on the better off while business groups have called for radical reform of public services to avoid across-the-board tax increases.
"This needs to be a bold and ambitious Budget, with a credible pathway for restoring sound public finances and a convincing narrative for growth," the CBI's deputy director general John Cridland said.