Budget date announced

The Budget will be read on 22 April 2009, 16 days after the start of the tax year. How awkward, how inconvenient.

But why so late? The cynical amongst us might wonder at its being scheduled two days after Barack Obama's expected visit to Britain. Surely Labour is not hoping for some Obama-shine to rub off on them, and distract us all from the contents of the Budget two days later? Surely not.