What they said…

The choice facing the country is between securing recovery or wrecking it.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling

We were promised a Pre-Budget Report and what we got was a pre-election report.
Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne

This is a good Budget for bingo and boilers.
Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman

It's clear that the NIC rises mean a brake on employment growth. While everyone understands the importance of restoring the public finances to a sustainable path, a tax on jobs is not the way to do it.
David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce

The key theme of this year's PBR is prudence postponed.
Miles Templeman, Director General of the Institute of Directors