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| Budget 2015: George Osborne's three jokes that cost the taxpayer £41 million | |
| (1 day later) | |
| George Osborne mocked Ed Miliband with so many measures in his Budget speech that questions were raised over whether he used taxpayers’ money to foot the bill for his jokes. | George Osborne mocked Ed Miliband with so many measures in his Budget speech that questions were raised over whether he used taxpayers’ money to foot the bill for his jokes. |
| The Chancellor announced three measures costing more than £41 million that were accompanied by jokes at the expense of the Labour leader in his highly political final Budget of the Parliament. | The Chancellor announced three measures costing more than £41 million that were accompanied by jokes at the expense of the Labour leader in his highly political final Budget of the Parliament. |
| He made fun of the revelation last week that Mr Miliband has two kitchens by announcing a £40 million fund for research into the “Internet of Things”, which he said would allow the Labour leader “to control both fridges from the same mobile phone”. | He made fun of the revelation last week that Mr Miliband has two kitchens by announcing a £40 million fund for research into the “Internet of Things”, which he said would allow the Labour leader “to control both fridges from the same mobile phone”. |
| Mr Osborne also announced a consultation into tax avoidance through “deeds of variation”, a way of changing a deceased person’s will and a jibe at the Mr Miliband over his family’s decision to change the will of his father Ralph after he died in 1994. | Mr Osborne also announced a consultation into tax avoidance through “deeds of variation”, a way of changing a deceased person’s will and a jibe at the Mr Miliband over his family’s decision to change the will of his father Ralph after he died in 1994. |
| It enabled Mr Miliband and his brother David to inherit shares in their family home and could potentially reduce the pair’s inheritance tax liability. | It enabled Mr Miliband and his brother David to inherit shares in their family home and could potentially reduce the pair’s inheritance tax liability. |
| Taking a direct pop at the Labour leader, Mr Osborne said: “We look forward to drawing on the particular expertise of the leader of the opposition. Unless, that is, the Labour party has executed its own deed of variation by then.” | Taking a direct pop at the Labour leader, Mr Osborne said: “We look forward to drawing on the particular expertise of the leader of the opposition. Unless, that is, the Labour party has executed its own deed of variation by then.” |
| Although closing the deed of variation loophole is designed to save the taxpayer money, accountancy firm KPMG suggested the move would lead to higher legal costs as court time is taken up with “mistake” applications. | Although closing the deed of variation loophole is designed to save the taxpayer money, accountancy firm KPMG suggested the move would lead to higher legal costs as court time is taken up with “mistake” applications. |
| Last up was a joke at Labour’s demise in Scotland, where Labour faces the prospect of being all-but wiped out by the SNP. | Last up was a joke at Labour’s demise in Scotland, where Labour faces the prospect of being all-but wiped out by the SNP. |
| Miliband and Balls: Distinctly unamused (ITN) The Chancellor announced a £1 million fund to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, which he said would be “well worth” the money to mark the moment in history when “a strong leader defeated an ill-judged alliance between the champion of a united Europe and a renegade force of Scottish nationalists.” | Miliband and Balls: Distinctly unamused (ITN) The Chancellor announced a £1 million fund to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, which he said would be “well worth” the money to mark the moment in history when “a strong leader defeated an ill-judged alliance between the champion of a united Europe and a renegade force of Scottish nationalists.” |
| It drew an angry reaction from Angela Eagle, who tweeted: “Chancellor just spent £1 million on a naff contrived 'joke'”. | It drew an angry reaction from Angela Eagle, who tweeted: “Chancellor just spent £1 million on a naff contrived 'joke'”. |
| 1. Research into “The Internet of Things”. Cost: £40 million | 1. Research into “The Internet of Things”. Cost: £40 million |
| Joke: “This is the next stage of the information revolution, connecting up everything from urban transport to medical devices to household appliances. | Joke: “This is the next stage of the information revolution, connecting up everything from urban transport to medical devices to household appliances. |
| “So should – to use a completely ridiculous example – someone have two kitchens, they will be able to control both fridges from the same mobile phone.” | “So should – to use a completely ridiculous example – someone have two kitchens, they will be able to control both fridges from the same mobile phone.” |
| 2. Funds to commemorate the Battle of Agincourt. Cost: £1 million | 2. Funds to commemorate the Battle of Agincourt. Cost: £1 million |
| Joke: “The Battle of Agincourt is, of course, celebrated by Shakespeare as a victory secured by a ‘band of brothers’. It is also when a strong leader defeated an ill-judged alliance between the champion of a united Europe and a renegade force of Scottish nationalists.” | Joke: “The Battle of Agincourt is, of course, celebrated by Shakespeare as a victory secured by a ‘band of brothers’. It is also when a strong leader defeated an ill-judged alliance between the champion of a united Europe and a renegade force of Scottish nationalists.” |
| 3. Consultation into clamping down on inheritance tax avoidance through “deeds of variation”. Cost: unknown, but at the very least it will cost valuable hours from civil servants. | 3. Consultation into clamping down on inheritance tax avoidance through “deeds of variation”. Cost: unknown, but at the very least it will cost valuable hours from civil servants. |
| Joke: “We look forward to drawing on the particular expertise of the leader of the opposition. Unless, that is, the Labour party has executed its own deed of variation by then.” | Joke: “We look forward to drawing on the particular expertise of the leader of the opposition. Unless, that is, the Labour party has executed its own deed of variation by then.” |
| Although closing the deed of variation loophole is designed to save the taxpayer money, accountancy firm KPMG suggested the move would lead to higher legal costs as court time is taken up with “mistake” applications. | Although closing the deed of variation loophole is designed to save the taxpayer money, accountancy firm KPMG suggested the move would lead to higher legal costs as court time is taken up with “mistake” applications. |