Critics Find Budget Dull

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32273, 16 April 1970, Page 17

Critics Find Budget Dull

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, April 15. The unexciting Budget which the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Roy Jenkins} presented to the country yesterday is expected to be sarcastically attacked by the Conservative Opposition in the continuing Commons debate today.

But today’s newspaper headlines and comment show that the Budget, described by the “Financial Times” as “a political non-event,” is a dull bear to bait.

The press, deprived of drama, sullenly but dutifully praised Mr Jenkins for not trying to hoodwink the British people with electioneering gimmicks.

The word most often repeated was “caution,” and the attitudes of clearly-unin-spired newspapermen, who had nothing to be either very sweet or vitriolic about, was summed up in the “Sun" which headlined its editorial: “The Big Budget Bore.” “Budgets are meant to be balanced,” said the “Sun,” “yesterday’s was so balanced it became a bore, but let’s not grumble too much about' that. We’ve had enough clever Budgets. Enough exciting Budgets. Enough political Budgets.” This one was “honest and reasonable,” said the “Sun.” “The Times” carried a headline reporting a “Muted Welcome for Scrooge-like

Budget,” but the “Daily Sketch” weighed in with the most derisive attack, sporting a huge front-page headline and declared “Roy Pulls a Huge Tax Fiddle.” “First he gave a glorious hand-Out," says the “Daily Sketch,” “raising the tax free allowances for single people and marrieds .. . and then he proceeded to take it back. The sleight of hand was brilliant.” The “Daily Sketch” fired off more volleys: “Chancellor Jenkins had to fiddle the tax schedules to conceal how little he had to give away.” But after this slap at Mr Jenkins, the “Daily Sketch” pulled in its claws and said: “What you can say is that the share-out miserly as it was, was humane.” The “Guardian” carried a large headline reading “Wait and See Budget Spikes Tories Guns,” and their political correspondent’ predicted a possible future “salvation” for Mr Jenkins, saying that the Conservatives were denied the bonus they expected of being able to proclaim that Mr Jenkins was electioneering. The “Morning Star” accused Mr Jenkins of producing “a few crumbs for the poor after a two-year slog, a few cookies for the well-off, and rich fruit cake as before for the big money boys who invest overseas.” The “Daily Telegraph,” a newspaper which has never declared deep affection for the Labour Government said sadly: “It is, to be frank, a dull Budget, it will keep the economy in order but will do nothing to make it more lively and efficient. Nevertheless, even to keep the economy in order is something.”