The Tories should steer well away from this trap

This blog is not going to get bogged down with all the hype, spin and counter-spin ahead of the budget.  I will wait, like any sensible person would where Brown is involved, for the small print to be analysed.  However, I have noticed with some amusement that Brown and Mandy have now turned the “recession” into a “opportunity”.  Just wait for the latest unemployment figures lads!

One matter.  I entirely agree with James Forsyth over at the Coffee House blog about the 45p tax rate relative to the latest IFS report:

I know many people on the right will argue that there is no need to accept Labour’s terms of debate any more and that the party must show that it is on the side of the wealth creators. I understand that argument. But 45p is not the right fight to pick. Vocally opposing the rise in employers’ national insurance contributions would be a far better one. The electorate is far more likely to appreciate that increasing the tax on jobs at a time of rising unemployment is economically foolish than that raising taxes on the super rich would produce less revenue.

The Tories have got Brown on the ropes.  Politically they need to stay united and not expose any internal splits.  To do so would play straight into Brown’s devious tactical hands.