The First ConDemning Budget - The VAT Rise.

So George Osborne, David Cameron and the Tory party have finally got what they've wanted - 2 things in fact! First, the opportunity to impose spending cuts and tax rises on the British public (supposedly because of the recession, but we all know they would have done this anyway)! And not only have they had the opportunity to impose the budget changes, they are now in a position where they can set up the Lib Dems to take most of the blame, and look like the part of the coalition which isn't sticking true to it's word! And stupidly, the Lib Dems seem to be going along with all of it - Good luck in the next election libberers, you'll certainly need it!

So, perhaps the most controversial part of this emergency budget is the VAT rise. Although it could also be the freezing of child benefit, or the reduction in tax credits, or......I could go on! The whole budget, to be frank, is quite controversial in one way or another. Yet there are a couple of sweeteners too.....I'll come onto those.

BREAKING NEWS - VAT HAS RISEN FROM 17.5% TO 20%!

Many people said it was unavoidable; others said it would be tragic; whatever your thoughts on it, apparently it's going to increase the average weekly household shopping basket by £33, and raise an extra £13 billion a year by the end of the current term of Parliament. So is it good? Well, Labour obviously don't think so - Harriet said in her budget response that the move was unfair, and various Labour MPs have spoken out on the issue of VAT. And perhaps she's right - £33 a week is a lot of money to many families, and it is without a doubt going to hit them where it hurts - the bank balance. More wealthy people aren't as likely to notice the tax hike, so it seems that the Tories are back to their old tricks of taking things out on the poorest.

Or maybe this is a good move. I mean, we hardly noticed when VAT dropped under Labour to 15% did we? So surely we'll hardly notice if it goes up. To be quite blunt, this is a ridiculous argument - to compare a rise and a fall in VAT in terms of amount and how it will affect people is ludicrous - of course people aren't going to notice a drop in VAT, because they are struggling to meet bills as it is - a few quid a week extra isn't really going to help that much, especially not with spiralling food and fuel costs.

So, in my opinion the VAT rise is absurd - I don't think the amount of money it gains is worth the agonising affect it will have on thousands, if not millions of households on an already tight budget. This is the first of many perfect examples of how our lives will change for the worse under a Conservative - and Lib Dem government.