Morning Report: March 24th

It’s the morning after the budget before, and this morning’s papers are full of budget hangover. The Guardian has perhaps the best summation of yesterday’s events, saying “forget the cuts, just fill up your petrol tanks“. That’s the “greenest government ever” talking. The budget received glowing reviews in the Sun and the Times that seem wildly out of kilter with anything that was actually announced. I guess we can put any suggestion of Labour winning over Murdoch to bed for the time being.

However, the Daily Mail aren’t as gushing in support as you might have imagined, reporting “Middle earners to be squeezed even more in days, new inflation index means less take home pay next year AND you’ll work longer for a pension”. They also railed against “nasty surprises lurking under the bonnet”. Perhaps all of this talk of the squeezed middle is working for Miliband, although don’t expect a Daily Mail endorsement anytime soon.

Elsewhere today, Portugal is likely to be the latest on the European bailout roundabout, after their Prime Minister resigned following the rejection of his budget. The Indie reports that British-based, pro-Gaddafi Libyans could carry out terrorist attacks in retaliation to attacks on the country.