Will’s Word: A dream budget with no safety net

The Greens have dropped a budget full of big promises. did you catch it? Promising free GPs, free dental, free childcare, a guaranteed income for anyone out of work or study, more trains and less emissions.

Honestly, it all sounds great. These are things we should have, it's basic stuff. But inevitably, it always comes back to that question - whose footing the bill?

Their plan leans hard on taxes, a wealth tax, an inheritance tax, higher income, company tax, and even a private jet tax. I'm sure there are plans for a lot more borrowing as well, so you'd argue, because they're planning so much free stuff, the debt goes up.

I don't want to rain on their parade, it's ambitious. When I watched the announcement yesterday, there was a part of me that was like, “hell yeah”. But what happens when the economy slows down, or the wealthy pack up and leave?

The money runs out, services suffer, people miss out, and the dream goes. If history is any guide, pursuing such an agenda, you'd argue we'll inevitably end up back at square one.

The Government's called it Marxist, that's a bit much. It's not surprising in this climate, though. Everything's either radical or reckless, depending on who you ask. The Greens, digging deep, both money-wise and philosophically.

Maybe it's what's needed. Maybe it's what's going to spark change. But ambition without a back-up plan is ultimately risky. This is a budget full of good intentions, the kind we need more of but with my fiscal hat on, good intentions don't balance the books.

Someone's got to pay, and we need to be talking honestly about who that is, and what we do when the money dries up.

That's Will's Word.

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