Editorial

A Budget 'non-event?' Don't count on it! 

Following the recent announcement of the Chancellor's Budget on 24th March, the inevitable speculation has started in earnest about the tax changes that may be introduced. Of course, we already know about some of the changes, which were announced in the Pre-Budget report last December.

One or two commentators have predicted that the Budget will be largely a non-event. After all, a General Election is imminent. It would surely be unwise to introduce any radical tax changes, particularly unpopular ones.

However, the Budget is unlikely to be quiet for tax professionals. The Government has not been slow to introduce changes to block what it considers to be unacceptable tax planning. This Budget will probably be no different. Even if it seems like an uneventful Budget on the surface, there will no doubt be a whole raft of Budget Notes to digest. Last year's offering did not seem to introduce too many major tax changes, yet I was still up until 3am that night writing Budget commentary!

'The devil is in the detail', as they say. And so it will be in the Budget on 24 March, no doubt.

Best wishes, 

Mark McLaughlin

Managing Editor