Budget coverage on TheBusinessDesk.com

THEBUSINESSDESK.COM and business advisers Ernst & Young are teaming up to provide readers with expert news, analysis and comment for the Emergency Budget this afternoon.

Chancellor George Osborne will deliver his keenly anticipated maiden budget at 12.30pm and we will send a breaking news story on the key highlights from his landmark statement soon after he finishes speaking.

Working with regional tax experts at Ernst & Young, we will then send a comprehensive Budget Email between 3.30pm and 4pm featuring video analysis and comment from the West Midlands business community across a range of subjects.

With all eyes on Capital Gains Taxes and VAT, Mr Osborne is also expected to announce rigorous spending cuts across Whitehall departments in a bid to bring down the deficit.

From a regional perspective, there is expected to be a partial National Insurance exemption for new firms based outside the South East in a bid to close the North/South productivity gap and boost enterprise in the regions.

To soften the blow in what is expected be a tough Budget for consumers and businesses alike, a two-year freeze on Council Tax is also expected.