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With Mark Ellis talking of quak economics, Ronnie Campbell asking for an enterprise zone in the Blyth estuary and Osborne giving what one would politely call stark responses, we draw our live coverage to a close. Have your say on the Chancellor's performance by taking our Autumn Statement survey. For that survey's results and further analysis of the Chancellor's statement, keep an eye on our blog this afternoon.
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Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, vents her concern that hard-pressed families will be tempted by loan sharks given that proposals in the Chancellor's speech will "fall harsher on working families than the banks". Osborne calls it a ludicrous question.
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Plenty of green leather on display now as only the stragglers remain to decry or applaud the Chancellor's statement. The Chancellor is now discussing the dredging of the Falmouth Estuary.
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Labour MP Paul Farrelly asks about the small print of the national loan guarantee scheme: does the risk still lie with the banks and not the public purse? Osborne confirms that it will be banks taking the risk.
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Repeating one of his favourite lines, Osborne says it was he, and not the previous Labour government, who introduced the bank levy.
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On pensions, Osborne deploys the politically invaluable support of a former Labour work and pensions secretary, John Hutton for the government's plans for public pension reform to ask why the rest of the Labour party don't agree.
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Jane Ellison, the Conservative MP for Battersea, welcomes the Chancellor's support for the extension of the Northern Line to Battersea as an opportunity for further economic activity and jobs in her constituency.
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Gemma Doyle, a Labour MP, asks the Chancellor to apologise for scrapping the Future Jobs Fund. Osborne says he appreciated the candour of the member for South Shields, David Miliband, who said this week that youth unemployment was not exclusively the fault of this government.
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The Tory backbenches continue to pat the Chancellor on the back with their questions.
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Nadim Zahrawi, a Conservative, askes the Chancellor to condemns tomorrow's strikes. Osborne does so, going on to express his surprise that the Balls faild to mention the strike once in his response. He says Balls works for "a paid-up subsidiary of Unite".
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George Freeman, a Conservative, asks the Chancellor if he agrees that the government's economic plan is superior to the opposition's. Stop press: Osborne "completely agrees."
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Most cabinet and shadow cabinet members have left the chamber now and the atmosphere is flatter than half an hour ago. Osborne now flanked by Chloe Smith and Justine Greening.
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Dennis Skinner, a Labour politician, says that if we're all in it together, why has the Chancellor announced limits on pay for public sector workers while bankers make millions. Is it because a wealthy cabinet is looking after its wealthy friends, he asks. Osborne asks Skinner why he spent 13 years supporting a government who failed to raise any levy on the banks. Its half the last government's cabinet that now works in the City, says Osborne.
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Barry Sherman, a Labour MP, tells Osborne his speech sounded like one of Brown's budget. Osborne says the difference is Browns books didn't add up, wheras his do.
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Clare Perry talks of Quak-anomics, a Labour MP bases an argument on George's Marvelous Medicine. Crimes against the English language are now being committed in the Commons.
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Steven Williams, a Liberal Democrat, lends his support to the Chancellor by pointing to what the Chancellor is doing for poor through increases in the personal tax allowance.
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The heavyweight clash is over and backbenchers will now be given their say.
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"Balls or Blair," says Osborne, "I think the British public made their mind up on Labour politicians long ago."
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Osborne, responding to Balls, goads Labour members. He quotes Tony Blair, who said today that whoever were in Government at the moment would be pursuing a "tough agenda", then teases Labour. "Boo him. I dare you," he says.
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Balls, at the climax of his speech, calls for Osborne to change course and do so "for his own sake, for the government's sake and for the sake of the national interest."
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Balls claims Osborne is putting politics ahead of economics, refusing to change course because he doesn't want to admit defeat.
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The shadow chancellor moves on to unemployment: "We have a plan for growth that leads to lower growth and higher unemployment. We were promised a game-changed today, but all we got was more of the same."
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"Isn't it now time to listen to the IMF, to cut taxes and change course before it is too late?" says Balls, calling Osborne's plan "rapid, reckless and deflationary".
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The recovery was choked off a year ago, before the Eurocrisis, says Balls.
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Balls asks Osborne to confirm that he will now be borrowing £158 billion more than he had planned and more, by the end of parliament, than in the Labour plan he inherited.
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The OBR's forecasts are confirmation that the Chancellor's plan has failed, Balls says. The OBR has downgraded growth forecasts four times in 18 months.
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"Leadership for tough times -- that's what we offer," says the Chancellor as he comends his statement to the house. Roars from the backbenchers as Ed Balls approaches the dispatch box.
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As expected, the Chancellor announces the cancellation of the 3p fuel duty tax planned for January.
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Approaching the end of his speech, Osborne says rail fares will rise by less than originally planned.
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OBR forecasts that unemployment will rise again next year before falling to 6.2% "by the end of the forecast period"
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More reforms to employment and health and safety regulations for small businesses as "we have a regard for the health and safety of the British economy too"
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Green measures are important, but if we close traditional energy-intensive industries down, we'll just be exporting jobs, says Osborne. Instead, businesses will get support to meet climate change requirements
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Half a billion pounds announced for science - cries of 'hear, hear' from the House
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A further £1bn for the Regional Growth Fund for England "and support for the devolved administrations too"
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Osborne announces he will work closely with the London mayor on airport options and new river crossings, but stops short of mentioning 'Boris Island'
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"You could call this British savings for British jobs, Mr Speaker," quips Osborne, to lacklustre laughs in the Commons
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On to infrastructure programmes - roads, rail, broadband. Savings will allow this to be funded, Osborne says
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Osborne talked himself hoarse during the emergency budget in 2010. His voice is going again now...
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Thatcher's 'right to buy' scheme was one of the best social policies ever, Osborne says
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Osborne launches the 'national loan guarantee scheme' to reduce interest rates for small businesses
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Starting in 2026, state pension age will go up from 66 to 67 to reflect our ageing population
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Pensions and pensions credit to be uprated by £5.30 next year - largest ever cash rise in basic state pension in history, he says
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Osborne emphasises that this is based on research by former Labour MP John Hutton, who says this is "the best deal possible"
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Further restraints on public sector pay are coming, says Osborne. 1% in two years - this will do nothing to appease those going on strike tomorrow
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William Hague, Danny Alexander, Nick Clegg and David Cameron are flanking Osborne on the frontbench. The prime minister is pulling an extremely serious face
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Osborne confirms that the timetable for eliminating the deficit has moved, blaming this on the economic situation and the "debt storm" left by Labour
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Some more positive news - debt interest payments will be lower as the UK is seen as a "safe haven", the Chancellor says
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The Chancellor states that today's OBR forecast proves its independence. He cites its two reasons for the downgrade: the inflation shock to energy prices and a greater impact of the recession than previous thought
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Osborne starts by "laying out the economic situation" before the House. The Office for Budget Responsiblity (OBR) forecast does not put Britain in recession, but has downgraded the growth forecast. Groans from the Labour benches - is this lack of recession the "rabbit" Osborne was rumoured to have in his hat?













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