UK Budget 2026: Boring John Healey succeeds in making UK Budget low key - and not annoying too many people
Although dull, the Chancellor’s statement will likely have achieved what it intended by not annoying too many people
The UK Government had briefed before the event that the Budget would be a low-key affair.
John Healey made sure of that. The Chancellor could not have been any more dull.
Former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi showed up in the gallery during Scotland Office questions beforehand.
She witnessed a lively PMQs with excited Labour MPs creating a decent atmosphere in the packed chamber.
But Mr Healey quickly sucked all the energy out of the room. Ms Pelosi left less than 15 minutes after he started.
The Chancellor spoke slowly, in a way that commanded the room during his Labour Conference speech last month. It didn’t work this time round..
He made a gaffe when he said Miatta Fahnbulleh “opposed” the Jackdaw gas field.
Read more: Budget 2026 LIVE: Chancellor John Healey's spending plans and what they mean for Scotland
Laughs erupted across the chamber. Mr Healey good-naturedly chuckled and corrected himself, saying the Energy Secretary had approved the project.
A smiling Ms Fahnbulleh - allegedly against both Jackdaw and Rosebank oil field - looked embarrassed.
The Scottish Labour MPs did not seem much impressed by the Chancellor’s tepid performance.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell spent a fair amount of time on his phone. Glenrothes and Mid Fife MP Richard Baker yawned, even sitting with his eyes shut at one point.
Glasgow East’s John Grady sat glumly behind the Chancellor, while Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank was on the edge of his seat, waiting for an announcement which never came.
It was very different from budgets of days gone by.
Rachel Reeves, who was not in the chamber when Mr Healey made his statement, was not particularly charismatic.
She was not a natural speaker, often appearing nervous.
But at least you got the sense that she was up for it. Mr Healey never got out of second gear.
The Chancellor’s attempt to bore everyone to death was helped by Deputy Speaker Nus Ghani.
She kept interrupting Mr Healey, reprimanding individual Tory MPs for shouting across the chamber.
It was completely unnecessary. At no point were they putting Mr Healey off, never mind drowning him out.
The worst moment was towards the end of Mr Healey’s statement as he was finally beginning to get animated.
As he was rising to his climax, setting out his stall for Labour’s argument behind the Budget, Ms Ghani rose to her feet, stopping him in his tracks.
Mr Healey then resumed where he had left off, but with just a couple of lines remaining, it had no real impact.
In terms of content, there was not much to get excited about.
The rabbit out of the hat was £100 of energy support for households in council tax bands A to D - something the Scottish Government has since agreed to apply in Scotland. The move will likely be appreciated across the country.
A damp squib Budget was what the UK Government was after.
This new Labour administration wants to appear like it is steadying the ship while giving a hand on the cost of living.
Andy Burnham has been popular so far, with the government less toxic than it was under Sir Keir Starmer.
The Chancellor’s safe will likely have done what it intended by not putting too many people off.
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