Dear Mr.Osborne, or may we call you George?
We’re sure you’re up to your eyeballs giving your budget speech a few final tweaks before tomorrow and passing a duster over your red briefcase. But we just wanted to send this short note your way. (Please return the carrier pigeon. His name is Stallone and he likes Byron burger crumbs, by the way.)
While changes to tobacco and booze taxes will grab headlines (if you change them), we’re more interested in how you deliver what you have to say and who you really want to pay attention.
The fact is that Joe, and Joan, Public have been working really hard during this period of, shall we call it… economic austerity and we think you need to say ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ to them.
- Sorry for how the financial services sector has continued to treat ordinary people diabolically and how watch dogs have shown a remarkable disinterest in doing anything more censorious than wagging a reproachful finger.
- Sorry for how household bills are still so darned confusing and simplified tariffs for energy costs don’t seem to be worth the paper they’re written on.
- And thank you to all of us for not staging a riot – given the way we’re treated.
So we’ll sit patiently while you explain to the House of Commons why we’re not out of the financial woods yet and purse strings remain tight and public services need to pinch in their belts still further.
But while you’re giving that speech of yours its final polish today perhaps you could add a word or two about how businesses conduct business and flag a step change in what will be acceptable. Do that and we might forgive you for putting the price of booze up (if you do). We just might.
Yours sincerely,
Money Fight Club