The papers don't buy it Gordon

Yesterday afternoon I mused that this was all about the headline of "Gordon the taxcutter" and wondered if the line would hold. It's fair to say I think that it hasn't, although the most interesting point out of most commentary is the likelihood of an election next year when the 2p cut comes into effect, no doubt the plan being to triangulate the Conservative position. Anyway, this is what the papers say.

• The Independent asked "2p or not 2p?" as its economic commentator Hamish McRae put it "despite the cut in the headline rate, the total tax take rises both absolutely and proportionately."
• The Daily Mail and its sister freesheet Metro led with "Gord giveth and Gord taketh away" and it's website leads with The TRUTH about Gordon's 2p tax cut. Let's not forget too that the Mail has a tendency to be nice to Gordon because of its editor's friendship with him.
• The Daily Telegraph is saying that "Brown's tax cut trick stuns Conservatives". I wasn't stunned, I actually laughed my head off when he did it in the office and got funny looks. Needless to say though, the Telegraph is right to call it a trick.
• The Times leads with a neutral headline about a "Two Penny Budget" and made it clear within the first paragraph that this was a "give with one hand, take with the other" budget.
• The unofficial Labour paper, The Guardian predictably leads with "Brown cuts income tax by 2p" and follows up with "It's a tax con not tax cut say Tories.". As I pointed out yesterday, it's not just Tories that are saying that. Channel 4 news are not exactly Tory and they were scornful last night of the sleight of hand.
• The Daily Express leads on Diana... only joking.. they simple say " TAX CUT: IT'S JUST A BIG CON". No one reads it anyway so it doesn't matter.
• The super-soaraway Sun heaps praise on Gordon for cutting income tax by 2p with a pun headline that I saw but cannot now remember. They also praised him in "The Sun Says" column. There is coverage of reality of the budget but it plays second fiddle to the headline rate cut. Gordon will undoubtedly be happy with it.
• The Daily Mirror thinks Gordon Brown is wonderful, and bizarrely says thousands of poor families will be better off - quaintly ignoring the millions who won't. No sup rises there then.
• The Daily Star leads on Danielle Lloyd being cheated on by Teddy Sheringham, it also has tits.
• The Financial Timescomment section says it's a "Budget worthy of the Kremlin"

So that's ten papers, one that doesn't care, and only 3 not playing up the great Svengali nature of the budget. So what's the overall verdict from Fleet Street? Well 30% think Gordon is great, 60% think he's pulled a fast one, and the last 10% don't think he has big enough tits.

You have to love today's Peter Brooks cartoon in The Times though. It sums it all up so perfectly.