To balance that, the credit rating organisations say

"Moody's described the budget as "a key step towards reversing the significant deterioration in the government's financial position that occurred over the past two years"

Where as Fitch go onto say the budget would...

"materially strengthen confidence in UK public finances and its AAA status".

So it has been well received in other area's

beak,
Those would be the same credit reference agencies which said that sub-prime mortgage leanding was also AAA?
I dont think I've heard a logical reasoned argument for doing anything to please these organisations who have power without responsibility. I believe it was Stanley Baldwin who called that the privaledge of the harlot.

I was trying to make the point that it has gone down remarkable well considering the extent of the cuts. This suggests most people accept that cuts have to be made (contrary to Graeme's opnion) however as you say, I am sure they will become less popular as they come in to action.

Well like I say, ask people what they think when they feel the pain once the knife is in, a point you seem to recognise Beak.

I don't think the electorate have any problem with cuts, a lot of people accepted we'd end up paying more tax under Labour's plans to increase tax. It's not so much the cuts but what they are choosing to cut which is the bone of contention. There would be a much greater consensus of agreement if the cuts were more evenly spread; but they are not.

The currently banded argument that a hike in VAT is proportionate and therefore hits the better off simply isn't comparable. An extra 2.5% to the well off on a luxury item is a very different set of circumstances to say a person with less money having to buy an essential item like a replacement cooker. It'll do a great deal of damage to private sector retail and I wonder how the motor trade will be affected too.
People haven't got the plastic anymore so people are looking very carefully at what's in their wallet. I accept this is right but the reality is the VAT hike will be immensely damaging.

The towns are already full of shops which have closed down, it was slowly recovering but the VAT hike will be a retrograde step.

As for opinion polls, the Tories pledged to act on public opinion. The questions asked on these polls must be fair and not leading,there is no credibility in seeking public opinion on the basis of loaded questions designed to extract desired answers; no credibility whatsoever.

This coalition will increasingly lose all credibility by their lame justification of their actions. The Liberals have lost the plot by suddenly agreeing to all that the Tories say.

Or Labour, if you take their 13 years in power into account.

But surely a shift to the left will make you unelectable?

Well, as you can probably guess, I am no fan or Mandy!

Have a a look at UK polling report.

"Overall 50% thought that the budget was fair, compared to 27% who thought it was unfair"

"52% of respondants thought the Lib dems were right to back the budget, this included 69% of their own voters."

Interesting the one where there is less leading question showed government approval up from 41% at the start of the week to 46% now. As I said this is remarkable considering the size of the cuts and shows the public seem to accept the the situation (currently)

Well I appreciate your emphasis on the word 'currently'; for the real determining factor is when it comes to the inevitable and frightening 'crunch' moment. Contrary to some media hype, we are not a workshy nation. I, for one, enjoy my job immensely and feel it's a worthwhile job that I do. However, like many others I await news of whether I'll be in a job in October. It's not just the money I'd miss (and be deeply troubled by), but the immense satisfaction as well. It's when you take all this away from people that they lose all sense of purpose and pride, that's when the polls will portray a different figure. But if the consensus of approval is as high as you say that's good because the markets are all reliant on confidence. I think the Liberal following will start to fade when they start to get down to the other core issues such as Trident and so forth where their supporters will want to see their beliefs upheld.

''There is a big differnce between sub prime mortgage lending and a country credit rating. Ignore it at your peril.''

The credit rating agencies are completely discredited over the sub-prime lending fiasco. The only reason to ''ignore them at your peril' is because the same idiots who weilded financial power then still do and still dictate an entire economic strategy based on these unelected charlatans wretched proclomations.

"Look - apart from old "beak" who grovels for the Tories - it is plainly to see for everyone that Obsorne has gone far beyond a sensible package of cuts, not than he had to, more than was "unavoidable"."

I'd check the opinion polls Grame, before making a fool of yourself.